Sensory Stimulation: What it is and how to use it as an Activity Intervention for Persons with dementiadementia

Stephen Vozzella BA ACC

Emeritus Pikesville Memory Care Director

Expectations

� Do you have any questions before we get started?

Objectives

� Delineate the process of leading a sensory stimulation activity.

� Discuss the benefits of using sensory � Discuss the benefits of using sensory stimulation.

� List successful sensory stimulation activities

� One activity approach that can benefit the person with dementia is sensory stimulation as there is an increasing challenge to identifying appropriate activities as they decline. The presentation will review the activity assessment and how it determines the activity assessment and how it determines activities, the meaning of sensory stimulation, for whom it is appropriate, and the benefits. The speaker will discuss the different ways to implement sensory stimulation and discuss successful activities that have utilized in a dementia care setting.

Get to know one of your fellow participants!

� Find a partner!!

� Complete Activity Assessment Questions

Sensory Stimulation

� Conveying nerve impulses from the sense organs to the nerve centers nerve centers

� to arouse or affect by a stimulant

Sensory Stimulation

� Group or Individual Activity that is directed toward memory impaired individuals who have difficulty relating individuals who have difficulty relating to their world.

Who is Appropriate for Sensory Stimulation?

� Focus on severely impaired resident.

End Stage Dementia

� Memory is mostly absent

� Difficulty walking

� Difficulty eating� Difficulty eating

� Severe communication deficit

Personal History

� Where is the person from?

� Where has the person lived?

� What was the person’s occupation?

� Where did the person go to school?� Where did the person go to school?

� How many languages does the person know?

� Was the person in the service?

� Is the person married?

� Does the person have family members that interact with him/her?

Personal History - II

� How does the person spend a typical day?

� Does the person like a shower?

� Does the person sleep in?� Does the person sleep in?

� How often does the person nap?

� What major events has the person been through?

� What was the person’s personality like before memory loss and currently?

Medical Information

� Vision

� Hearing

� Hand� Hand

� Alcohol/Smoking

� Diagnosis

� Communication

� Ambulation

� Diet

Leisure Interests – Do Not Make a Checklist

� Reading

� Collecting

� TV/Movie

� Music

� Religion

� Volunteer/Clubs

� Children

� Pets� Music

� Art

� Gardening

� Baking/Cooking

� Sports/Sports Fan

� Travel

� Pets

� Reminiscence/Social Events

� Humor

� Games/Cards/Bingo

Any Other Categories?

Level of Participation

� Independent

� Dependent

� Observes� Observes

� How does he/she observe?

� Unaware

� Minimum assistance to participate

� Moderate assistance to participate

� Maximum assistance to participate

Strengths and Needs

� Review the assessment.

� What are some strengths?

� Example Strengths – He/she is able to follow objects with eyes, able to hold objects; objects with eyes, able to hold objects; laughs at times, loves birds, loves music.

� Example Needs - Needs assistance attending activities; maximum cueing to be an observer; needs to take a nap in the afternoon.

� What is the activity plan?

Six Senses

� Smell

� Touch

� Auditory� Auditory

� Visual

� Taste

� Kinesthetic

Leading Sensory Stimulation

� Group

� Individually

� Simultaneous� Simultaneous

� Drop off – Focal Point

� Environment

Planning an Activity

� Plan ahead.

� Plan using the person’s interests.

� Have a back up plan.� Have a back up plan.

� Break activity into steps.

� Adapt a favorite activity.

Things to consider when planning

� Privacy

� Spirituality

� Adaptation� Adaptation

� Musical interventions

Leading an Activity

� Have supplies ready to start.

� Be patient.

� Be aware of how you communicate.� Be aware of how you communicate.

� Have your backup plan ready.

� Be aware of the person’s comfort.

� Use a space the person is comfortable in.

Location

� Resident’s Room

� Quiet place

� Bright place� Bright place

� Outside

What to talk about?

� What do you see in the picture?

� What does this smell make you think of?

� Did you ever go to…….?� Did you ever go to…….?

� When you hear this noise what do you think about?

� Which way do you like to eat this type of food?

� What does that feel like when you touch it?

Evaluation and Documentation

� How did the person participate?

� Did he/she need a lot of cueing?lot of cueing?

� What did you observe?

� Tears, smiles?

� Holding objects?

� Any comments?

Costs

� Staff time

� Supplies

� Training and � Training and education time

Visual Stimulation

� Family pictures

� Familiar objects – go to the resident’s room

Going outside� Going outside

� Videos

� Animals - Fish Tank, Aviary

� Magazines

� Children

Touch Stimulation

� Snow

� Wallpaper books

� Stuffed animals

Pillows� Pillows

� Yarn

� Sand paper

� Massages

� Vibration

� Bubbles

Snowball Toss

� Fresh Snow

� Styrofoam Balls

� Hot Cocoa� Hot Cocoa

Wash the Car

� One Day at a Time

� Clean the Hubcaps

� Wax the Hood� Wax the Hood

� Vacuum the Floor Mats

� Clean out the Trunk

House Chores

� Peeling Vegetables

� Folding Clothes

� Snapping Beans� Snapping Beans

� Dusting

� Sorting Old Bills

� Wiping Down Tables or Furniture

� Polishing Silver

Taste

� Taste spices

� Taste drinks

� Food reminisce� Food reminisce

� Cooking reminisce

� Food party

Potato Chip Sensory

� Different Flavor Chips

� Beer or Soda

� History of the Potato Chip� History of the Potato Chip

Mix Pudding

� Good exercise

� Smells good

� They can taste the pudding� They can taste the pudding

� Reminisce about the uses for pudding

� Not a lot of steps

Auditory Stimulation

� Sound effects

� Discuss sounds

� Music� Music

� Make noise

� Music trivia

� Prayers

Hymn Sing

� Traditional Hymns

� Have recording of song if necessary

� Pray together� Pray together

Smell Stimulation

� Smell spices

� Discuss memories associated with smellssmells

� Smell quiz

� Paint with spices, coffee

� Microwave bacon

� Hand massage

Kinesthetic Stimulation

� Playing bells

� Throwing a ball

� Tossing objects� Tossing objects

� Painting

� Petting animals

� Shaping dough

Lets Look at the Survey

� Plan one activity for each sense for the person you surveyed

� Lets Discuss� Lets Discuss

Combine all the Senses

� Ocean City

� Picture of Trimpers Rides

� Rub some sun oil or sub block on� Rub some sun oil or sub block on

� Fries and Vinegar

� Audio of waves crashing

� Handle some seashells

� Wind string for a kite

Resources

� Activity Assessment

� Internet

� Library� Library

� Second Hand Stores

� Basement/Attic

� Dollar Establishment

What are the Benefits of Sensory Stimulation?

� Decrease Sensory Deprivation

� Opportunity to engage environment

Decrease isolation� Decrease isolation

� Decrease apathy

� Fun

� Pleasure

� Increase quality of life

� Educate loved ones

Keys to success…….

� Assessment

� Patience and understandingunderstanding

� Adapting activities

� Breaking them into steps

� Observing the person’s response

Peter Rabins, MD, MPH, Constantine Lyketsos, MD, MPH, and Cynthia Steele, RN, Practical Dementia Care, New York, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1999

References

Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1999

http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/sensory

Carol Bowlby Therapeutic Activities with Persons Disabled by Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders, Gaithersburg Maryland, Aspen Publishers 1993