Writing Sample: Healthcare
Excerpt taken from a healthcare staff training manual for residential aged care. (Multi-sensory health for elderly residents living with dementia).
Sensory Enrichment Activities:
A Sensory Enrichment Activity is an activity that is conducted with a person or people and one in which you are present with the person to guide the interactions, observe and be part of the experiences. The activity could be for a range of reasons and outcomes, from the simple to the more complex.
Some potential reasons and opportunities for sensory-based activities:
• To help stimulate verbal/vocal communication and expression
• Enhance the memory and trigger memories
• Social interaction and human connection
• Activity — to alleviate boredom
• Physical stimulation, movement, promotes dexterity
• Diversion from pain
• Diversion from anxiety and restlessness
• Comfort/Diversion from a behavioural symptom such as restless wandering or calling out
• To explore the person’s interests and abilities
• To combat sensory deprivation
**At the forefront of our minds should be to remember that a person with dementia may be expressing an unmet need — we must, therefore, try to identify and address that need for them and with them where possible.
The words “purposeful” and “meaningful” should be at the forefront of the type of activity and its basic ideas. In other words, an activity for the sake of “filling time” should be avoided where possible. The thought, planning and meaning that you place on the activity and its ideas will go a long way towards ensuring the best and most positive outcomes that your recipient needs and deserves.
What to do during a sensory-based activity:
Your activity will usually consist of simply introducing your items one by one, gradually, allowing your participant plenty of time to look, touch, experience and interact with an item if they wish, or observe you interacting or demonstrating the item for them.
Remember that those with dementia or having experienced a stroke, for example, will need plenty of time to recognise or realise the item/sound/movement/aroma and to then respond if they wish e.g., verbally, through touch, movement, tracking with their eyes.
Do not try to coerce or force the person to hold, touch or interact with the items in ways that you would like them to. We have often observed residents with dementia take an item and use it for a completely different idea or task that we had not expected. A person with dementia might use an item to perform a familiar task to them, such as brushing their body with it, washing it (acting out the action of) or placing items in order in front of them to create a system of order or symmetry or previous familiar task.
Grouping and themes:
Once you get started and have tried a few different sensory programs and ideas, you will gain confidence and insight into your work with your residents and clients. Sometimes it can be about getting started, so that you can then gain a feel for sensory enrichment and draw on the experiences with the person and their various responses and reactions. You will also start to realise the potentials and possibilities of sensory activities and how you yourself operate, as well as your own unique style and talents.
Your inventory of all the resources, equipment and sensory aids available to you will help to provide you with ideas for programs. Your environment and available spaces to conduct programs will also help you to devise programs, as well as your resident’s known interests, background and abilities. Remember also to consider the personal items that belong to the resident, which may be available such as photographs, ornaments, a favourite perfume or aftershave, or familiar scarf or brooch, for example.
Items used can relate to one specific theme and idea, such as exploring colours, textures, tastes and aromas, memories, the outdoors, music and sounds. Items can be compared to each other, such as the difference in the sound of musical instruments, or the different feel to textures like sandpaper and wood.
• Purposeful, with themes and connecting ideas
• Inventory of all resources, items and aids available
• Consideration of personal items belonging to the resident
• Use of colour
• Textures and tactile materials, surfaces and products
• Taste sensations and their comparisons to each other
• Music and sound
• Outdoors and environmental
