Music Therapy Stuffed Animal Tutorial- The DIY Therapist

Music therapy stuffed animals can be beneficial for individuals experiencing memory loss associated with Alzheimer’s or a related dementia. Music therapy can elicit memories, movement, and connection with others while providing a sense of comfort. Learn how to create your own music therapy stuffed animal by following this step-by-step tutorial. Plus, learn tips for how to select music for an individual who has limited communication.

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Let’s talk about music for a minute. Think about the last time one of your favorite songs from your high school years came on the radio. Did it make you smile and want to dance? Did it spark a memory? How did it make you feel? Did the memory of that song take you back in time remembering something you had not thought about in a long time? For individuals living with dementia, music from their past can elicit memories from their childhoods, encourage movement, and connection with others.

For today’s project, we are making a music therapy stuffed animal. We will adapt a stuffed animal, a Bluetooth speaker will be placed inside a stuffy, and a specific playlist will be selected. The stuffed animal will add another layer of nostalgia and comfort for the individual living with dementia. Plus learn tips for how to select music for an individual who has limited communication.

What Is Dementia?

According to the Centers For Disease Control And Prevention (CDC), dementia is not a specific disease, but a general term used to define impaired ability to remember, think, or make decisions. Impaired cognitive functioning can interfere with daily tasks along with memory, orientation, calculation, language, learning ability, and judgment. Common types of Dementia include Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies, Parkinson’s disease dementia, frontotemporal dementia, and mixed dementia.

As of 2014, of people 65 years and older, there were an estimated 5 million people living with dementia in the United States. That’s 55 million cases worldwide according to the World Health Organization with 10 million new cases each year.

What Are Some Of The Signs And Symptoms Of Dementia?

Memory loss that affects daily life
Difficulty with planning or problem solving
Challenges completing familiar tasks
Problems with attention
Visual changes including judging distances, difficulty driving, or changes in reading abilities
Word finding difficulties with familiar objects
Misplacing or losing objects
Withdraws from social activities
Poor judgment

For more information about dementia and Alzheimer’s visit:

*If you have questions or concerns regarding dementia or a dementia diagnosis, contact your medical provider and seek out an evaluation.

What Is Reminisce Therapy?

For those living with dementia, one type of therapy that may be beneficial is reminisce therapy. Reminisce therapy involves the discussion of memories while using props such as photographs or music to evoke certain memories and encourage conversation (Reminisce Therapy For Dementia study, 2018)

Reminisce therapy for dementia patients can provide a link to the past, bringing back happy memories, the want to dance or sway to music, and connectedness with caregivers. In addition, this type of therapy can also decrease agitation while improving mood and behaviors (Practical Neurology, 2017).

In the study, Reminisce Therapy For Dementia, 2018, concluded that reminisce therapy has positive effects in the areas of mood, cognition, quality of life, and communication especially in the setting of home care.

Additionally, if you would like to see reminisce therapy in action, check out the documentary currently available on Freevee called “Alive Inside: A Story of Music and Memory” (2014). Here is a clip from the documentary on YouTube.

*If you have questions about Reminisce Therapy and whether or not it is a good fit for your loved one living with dementia, contact your primary care provider or speech language pathologist, physical or occupational therapist.

What Is A Music Therapy Stuffed Animal?

Traditionally, a music therapy stuffed animal is a stuffed animal that is specifically designed to play selected music while cuddling a soft stuffed animal for individuals living with Alzheimer’s or a related dementia. A Bluetooth music speaker is hidden inside the stuffed animal, and the opening is secured with Velcro. The stuffed animal adds not only a sense of nostalgia, but also a level of comfort. This added cuddly stuffed animal can help lessen unwanted behaviors and decrease agitation all the while listening to a favorite playlist from their youth.

The Alzheimer’s Store sells Arthur: the Music Therapy Teddy Bear. Their music therapy teddy bear is specifically designed for those experiencing memory loss.

The music therapy stuffed animal we will be making today will use a Bluetooth speaker which will be placed inside the stuffed animal. In addition, a playlist will be selected based on the individual’s preferences and songs from their youth.

Stuffed Animal Selection

When selecting a teddy bear or stuffed animal for this project, make sure to select a stuffy that is soft and cuddly. Ensure the fur is not irritating to the person who will be using it. I’ve selected a medium sized, super-soft stuffed animal for today’s project- one that, I think, will make a good lap buddy and will be a good fit for the size Bluetooth speaker I have.

Can I Make My Stuffed Animal Weighted?

If you wanted to make this a weighted stuffed animal as an added sensory component, add small bean bags filled with plastic poly-pellets until you reach the desired weight. Adding loose poly-pellets for weight will most likely end up making a mess every time you open the teddy’s back. Plus this will prevent any poly-pellets from spilling out during use. The weight of the poly-pellets will add deep pressure which can help regulate the sensory system to help calm and decrease anxiety. Check out my post here for how to make your weighted stuffed animal just make sure to keep all pellets contained to bean bags.

*It should be noted, adding plastic poly-pellets is a potential choking hazard. This should not be used with anyone who chews on non-food items in case spills occur.

Music Selection

Music selection is an important part of this project. For the people living with dementia, it’s important to add music to a playlist that reminds the individual of their younger years. Music from their teenage years is a great place to start; as well as songs that remind the person of certain memories (ie: wedding, births, vacations, etc) are also a good choice. Also consider music around historical events and top hits during that time period.

Setup A Playlist Specifically Designed For Your Loved One

Create a playlist specifically designed with your loved one in mind. Popular digital music services, which have a free option, include Spotify and Pandora. There are other options also available; find the one that best fits your needs. Download the app, and follow the directions specific to the digital music service you chose regarding creating a playlist. Connect your Bluetooth speaker to your smart phone and enjoy reminiscing together.

What If The Person I Am Caring For Is Unable To Tell Me Their Favorite Songs?

Contact The Family

Contact family members for song selection ideas. Ask if they can contact other close family members such as their close relatives, siblings, and/or their grown children. Children are often exposed to favorite songs of their parents or caregivers over the years. Contacting grown children, other close family members and friends can be extremely beneficial in forming a playlist for this project.

What If I cannot get a hold of the individual’s family?

Based on the individual’s age, calculate the decade surrounding their teenage years. Look up hit songs from that time period. Also consider songs from their 20’s as well as top songs that took place during historical events. The blog, Dave’s Musical Database, lists the top 10 songs per decade all the way back to the 1890’s!!
Ask specific yes/no questions to find out more information about their likes and dislikes regarding music. For example, “Do you like jazz music?” Depending on the stage of dementia, open ended questions (“What type of music do you like?”) can be more difficult to answer; therefore, you may see an increase in response rate by asking yes/no questions (“Do you like Chuck Berry? Do you like the song Johnny B Goode?”).
Play a top song from that time period for the individual. What is their behavior? Did they smile, sway, bob their head, or tap their fingers to the beat of the music? If you do not get a reaction, try a different top song. Maybe try top songs from a different genre.
Keep a journal and take notes based on the song selection and the behavior and engagement you are seeing when a certain song is bring played. You could use this as a further indicator of songs enjoyed (and those songs that may not be as familiar). Select additional songs based on the behavior you see.

Bluetooth Speaker

There is a wide assortment of small Bluetooth speakers available for purchase, or you may already have one at home that you can use for this purpose. As with most speakers, you will need to remember to turn on/off the speaker before and after its use. Make sure the volume level is appropriate for the individual listening to the music- not too loud, not too quiet. Just right.

For today’s project, I used a AYL Soundfit Bluetooth speaker. We have had this speaker for a couple years now, and it worked well for this project. The sound was great even through the fabric.

Are There Any Alternatives To Making A Music Therapy Stuffed Animal?

Of course there is. A music therapy stuffed animal does add an sweet nostalgic component along with a cuddly, comforting stuffy to snuggle; however, you can add music to their day in other ways. For example, you can play their favorite playlist out loud for everyone in the room to hear. Or using an iPod, iPad, or smart phone, give the person you are caring for headphones instead for listening. Given that EarPods and AirPods are a new, and possibly, unfamiliar device, old school headphones may be best in this situation.

Special Considerations

Whether you decide to use a stuffed animal from your home or purchase one, make sure the individual tolerates the feel of the stuffy’s fur before purchasing or ripping threads.
If you choose to make your stuffed animal weighted, make sure to enclose all poly-pellets in bean bags first then place inside the stuffed animal. Weighted stuffed animals can be a choking hazard for individuals who chew on non-food items. See note above regarding a weighted stuffed animal.
Don’t forget to select your playlist specifically for your loved one. See notes above, under music selection, about specific songs, age range, and troubleshooting song selection.
If you are having difficulty selecting songs, keep a journal and take notes based on the song selection, behavior, and any engagement you are seeing. Use this as a further indicator of songs enjoyed (and those that are not as familiar). See note above for additional details.
Trim all corners of the Velcro to prevent scratches.
A sewing machine will be easier to sew the Velcro in place. However, if you are using needle and thread you may want to use a thimble to help protect your finger when pushing the needle through Velcro.
If the stuffed animal you have chosen comes with a filled bean bag that is attached to the stuffed animal, please use caution before cutting it out. I made this mistake of cutting out the bean bag, and the belly of the stuffed animal came loose.
Make sure the volume level is appropriate for the individual listening to the music- not too loud, not too quiet. Just right.

How Do I Make A Music Therapy Stuffed Animal?

Materials

Medium-large sized stuffed animal based on the size of the Bluetooth speaker
Scissors or seam ripper
Sewing machine or needle
Thread
Velcro
Bluetooth speaker
If needed, download a digital music service app on your smart phone to create a playlist
Smart phone, iPod, or iPad

Instructions

If needed, download a digital music service app such as Pandora or Spotify. Create your specially designed playlist for the person you are caring for. See notes above regarding music selection and ideas to help troubleshoot music selection.
Seam rip or cut a strip down the back of the stuffed animal making sure to cut the hole large enough for the Bluetooth speaker to fit inside.
Remove some of the stuffing from the stuffed animal’s belly. The stuffing can be replaced later if needed.
Measure and cut Velcro to fit both sides of the opening. Before sewing the Velcro, trim all four corners of the Velcro to prevent scratching.
Trim all four corners of the Velcro to prevent scratches. Place the rough side of the Velcro along the inside of the fur as seen in picture 3 above. Place the soft side of the Velcro on the opposite side of the hole, on the furry outside.
Using a sewing machine or needle and thread, carefully sew the rough piece of Velcro to the INSIDE of one side of the opening. Making sure to back stitch at each end to secure.
Carefully sew the soft side of the Velcro in place making sure to back stitch at each end.
Turn on the Bluetooth speaker, and slide it inside the stuffed animal. Replace any stuffing around the sides if needed, and save excess stuffing for another project. Velcro the opening closed.
Connect your Bluetooth speaker to your smart phone.
Play your specially designed playlist and give it to your loved one to enjoy.

Resources

Dementia Resources

Reminisce Music Therapy Resources

Practical Neurology
Reminisce Therapy For Dementia research study
Music And Dementia research study
Check out the movie, “Alive Inside: A Store of Music and Memory,” (2014) currently on Freevee about how music therapy can play such an important role in the lives of individuals living in assisted care homes. Here is a short clip of this documentary on YouTube.

Where To Purchase A Music Therapy Teddy Bear