This is one example of a sensory diet/modulation form created by occupational therapists to assist the consumer with the identification of the types of things available in each setting, to be used preventatively and/or during crisis states. These handouts should include a variety of options, which can be made available for use.  This particular form was developed for a specific adult acute care inpatient psychiatric setting, where most of the listed options have been made readily available. A "sensory diet" may be created and utilized in treatment, with or without a sensory room, and is very appropriate in occupational therapy practice with clients of all ages.  Such handouts are often useful for facilitating an increased awareness regarding what things tend to influence one's system and how, and for information gathering prior to attempting to help an individual create a sensory diet.

Sensorize Your Unit’s Safety Checks System!

The following tools were created in order to help operationalize the implementation and integration of sensory modulation strategies within an acute care setting’s safety checks system. The overall goal is to help staff become better observers of each client’s ability or difficulty with self-regulation and to provide strategies in a proactive manner, with considerations related to the degree of escalation/de-escalation. The Sensory Modulation Program strategies and one setting’s choice of using the non-violent crisis prevention institute’s training information & language (e.g., CPI - Crisis Prevention Institute), as part of a more pro-active approach to performing the unit’s safety checks process, resulted in the creation of following documents as resources to help guide staff in this process. These documents are provided as a free resource when giving reference to the primary author and may be modified for use across varied settings. It is often helpful to apply the specific language and approaches used to train staff in crisis de-escalation, to help people apply the sensory modulation strategies in a manner that also supports the crisis intervention trainings provided by each mental health organization.

Risk Management Summary

Risk Management Calm

Risk Management Anxiety

Risk Management Defensive

Risk Management Acting Out

Risk Management Tension Reduction

The Skills Development Workbook

The Skills Development Workbook was created in 2006 for use with adolescent and adult populations admitted to the acute inpatient unit at Cooley Dickinson Hospital. It was created and used by Tina Champagne, OTR/L, Alison Berryman, OTR/L and the following mental health counselors: Bruce Bradley-Gilbert, Courtney Vearling, Stephanie Campbell and Joseph Gamba. This workbook has been used as a tool to help integrate the sensory modulation program and a host of other treatment approaches into the care delivery process. The Skills Development Workbook has been provided as a free, downloadable resource due to the many requests from practitioners to use it in practice, or to adapt it for applications for varied populations and settings. Note that some of these worksheets are also available in Champagne’s text, Sensory Modulation & Environment: Essential Elements of Occupation (2008). 

Sensory Modulation: An Essential Element of Occupation by Tina Champagne, M.Ed., OTR/L offers information on sensory approaches, sensory room development and a host of practical ideas and handouts for practice, which are appropriate for use among adolescent, adult and geriatric populations.