Sensory cabinet

The sensory cabinet of SCH Insula consists of a sensory integration room and a Snoezelen room.

Sensory integration

ASSESSMENT OF SENSORY PROCESSING DIFFICULTIES (kindergarten age)

• Individual mode; 3 - 6 years; (120 min), can also be separated into two meetings

ASSESSMENT OF SENSORY PROCESSING DIFFICULTIES (primary and secondary school)

• Individual mode; 6 - 18/19/20 years; (120 min)

SENSORY PROCESSING DIFFICULTY ASSESSMENT (ADULTS)

• Individual mode; 21 - 99 years; (120 min)

ASSESSMENT PROCESS:

• Interview with the patient/caregivers, collection of anamnestic data, an insight into the patient's development to date
• Assessment using questionnaires, systems to assess characteristic behaviors and sensory processing difficulties

In the event of a lack of progress despite all provided conditions for improvement, the therapist reserves the right to refer the client for additional professional treatment or refer the client to another form of therapy which they believe to be favorable for the client's development.

SENSORY ASSESSMENT

Sensory integration assessment is carried out according to the SI protocol in the Sensory Room - Cabinet. Observing the child is crucial for determining the presence of a sensory integration disorder.

• Observing the child in spontaneous play for 45 min (Baseline or baseline shot)
• 45-minute video analysis
• Parent questionnaire analysis and parent Interview

WHAT ARE THE GOALS OF THE SENSORY INTEGRATION PROGRAM?

Snoezelen Room

What is a Snoezelen room?

• Multisensory space
• Safe environment
• Place of relaxation
• Reduces restlessness and tension
• Stimulates responses to sensory stimuli
• Encourages communication, exploration and learning
• Therapy was initially developed for use with autistic children but is currently used for clients with dementia, palliative clients, prenatal clients and clients with brain injury or behavioral disorders. It involves the use of lights, sounds, tactile objects and aromas to stimulate or relax clients, depending on the client's condition, for this purpose special equipment has been developed.

The purpose of the Snoezelen room is to give the person using the room control and ability to decide for themselves which activities they want to participate in. Individual needs of each person are taken into account but without set therapeutic objectives. The most important thing to note is that this room has no restrictions.

The Snoezelen room is not only used for passive observation of the listed effects but also for participation in the game, creation of individual games and exploration. Those who cannot participate in multisensory play using their hands or feet, may use a variety of other interaction methods (eye control, pressing switches). The Snoezelen room is accessible to both blind and visually impaired people.

The main function of the Snoezelen room is to provide the client a peaceful and safe environment.

The person conducting the therapy in the Snoezelen room should be flexible and seize opportunities for spontaneous interactions:

• The procedure should be adapted to the person's developmental level
• Keep the person's experience meaningful
• Duration of stay in the Snoezelen room may vary
• Humans possess eight sensory systems, the Snoezelen room is designed to activate all senses

Visual experience

Bubble tubes filled with water raise bubbles which a person follows with their eyes. The constant effects of color changes are important for stimulating visual perception. In addition to visual stimulation, bubbles in the tube are ideal for providing tactile stimulation. The person will feel vibrational sensations through their hands by touching the tubes with the "spaghetti". The „Spaghetti“ are connected flexible tubes through which light passes and changes color and are easy to move as well as radiate heat which encourages the person to manipulate and visually monitor their movement. Light effects are amplified by the installed mirrors. A projector with alternating plates on which plates with different light motifs alternate induces a variety of stimuli.

Smell and taste experience

Different materials with specific smells are placed on the touchpad and different types of wood, leather, herbal pads etc. are used. Felt wipes soaked in fragrant oils also provide a pleasant experience.

Tactile experience

Different materials with specific smells are placed on the touchpad and different types of wood, leather, herbal pads etc. are used. Felt wipes soaked in fragrant oils also provide for pleasant experience.

• The Snoezelen room features various lamps and tubes with bubbles that change color and stimulate vision.
• Optical fibers form curtains or stimulate the sense of touch when held in hands
• Projectors create engaging interactive scenes on walls, floors, or ceiling which to attract and retain attention
• Music stimulates the sense of hearing
• Sounds can be activated by certain actions or materials with different textures that rustle or crackle when touched
• The projector creates the image which encourages concentration and focus
• The ability to interpret the information we receive through the eye organ; it enables a person to understand what they see, i.e. to recognize and understand various elements, such as size, color, shape, spatial relationships, etc.
• The wall-mounted LED tunnel creates an illusion of colored lights that slowly change color and extend to infinity; it develops visual perception
• Carpet with LED stars; luminous fibers are woven into the carpet, slightly changing in color and intensity
• The use of this carpet develops tactile perception (sensory organs of touch spread over the entire surface of the skin) and visual perception (what one sees; size; color; spatial relationships)
• Projector with laser-holographic technology that projects the Universe and the stars; develops visual perception
• The vibroacoustic armchair when connected to the HI-FI line vibrates; the vibrations relax the muscles and create a feeling of comfort; this armchair develops sensory perception.

Recent research shows that the Snoezelen sensory room has the potential to reduce feelings of restlessness and improve mood in people with dementia; the effectiveness is visible in improved results of occupational therapy, easier coping with the perception of pain and increased involvement and social interaction which positively affects the quality of life and care of clients. You can read more here:

• Multisensory Stimulation for People With Dementia: A Review of the Literature
• Sensory stimulation—A way of creating mutual relations in dementia care

SNOEZELEN ROOM AND DEMENTIA

The term “dementia” describes progressive disorders that affect the brain, such as Alzheimer’s disease does. These conditions cause issues with thinking, mood, behavior, and the ability to participate in everyday activities and leisures. Without appropriate activities, people living with dementia become increasingly isolated, frustrated and unhappy. However, choosing the most suitable type of an activity for people in the middle or late stages of the disease can be challenging.

In this multisensory space, individuals suffering from dementia can explore and stimulate specific senses in a safe environment. The space offers a variety of possibilities for patients to experience calm or stimulation, depending on their needs. Combinations of light, movement, music and tactile objects can stimulate a sense of comfort and well-being, relieve stress and pain, and increase concentration. All of the above can facilitate memory and communication in dementia patients.

There is also the possibility of individualizing the multisensory environment by enriching it with familiar everyday objects, interesting scents and textures, natural materials, sounds, and visual stimuli.

SNOEZELEN ROOM AND BRAIN INJURIES

A Snoezelen room can improve mood, increase self-confidence and promote a sense of well-being, which is beneficial not only for dementia patients, but also those who have suffered brain injuries or endure chronic pain. Specially designed activities to practice cognitive abilities including problem solving, decision-making, hand-eye coordination, concentration, memory, focused attention, object recognition and word finding can be highly beneficial in people recovering from a brain injury.

For example, if the patient’s favorite experience is being in the shade, walking among trees and in the rain – the color of lighting equipment in the room (e.g. bubble tubes, fiber optics, etc.) can be set to tinted shades of green, playing a video of a walk in the woods, producing the sounds of trees, their favorite music, and simultaneously reproducing the smell of pines or grass and the breeze of a fan.