New Sensory Room Soothes Memory Care Patients

June 25th 2019, Our News

A new sensory stimulation room in the SKLD Zeeland Gilead Unit has become a game changer for memory care patients, providing a variety of soothing and mesmerizing tools in one space. Patients’ families and even residents living on other floors of the facility are enjoying the room as well, with the stimulating and comforting fixtures, such as fiber optic lamps and curtains and bubble tubes.

Watch a virtual tour of SKLD Zeeland’s sensory stimulation room for patients with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease

Changing Behavior

Studies have found that multisensory stimulation rooms (MSSRs) for people with dementia can have immediate positive effects on the behavior and mood of people with dementia, which is closely correlated to resident falls. For example, in a randomized controlled study, researchers found, researchers found that immediately after MSS sessions, patients talked more spontaneously, related better to others, did more from their own initiative, were less bored/inactive and were more happy, active or alert.

When the sun sets each day, patients with forms of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease tend to become more agitated, resulting in stress and an increased risk of falling. For residents at SKLD Zeeland, the largest memory care unit in the area of western Michigan, this can become even more chaotic.

“Having so many residents feeling a sense of urgency at the same time can mean they are tempted to hurry past one another and possibly fall,” says Rachael Stapley, life enrichment director.

The sensory room at SKLD Zeeland was a long-time goal of Rebeka Moeggenborg, SKLD Zeeland recreational therapist. “I learned about MSSRs in school, and then I was seeing agitated behavior and wanted a non pharmacological fix,” she says.

Features in the SKLD sensory room reduce anxiety