Sensory
Room: An Umbrella Term
“Sensory Room” is an umbrella term used to categorize a broad variety of therapeutic spaces specifically designed and utilized to promote self-organization and positive change. There are multiple types of sensory rooms and purposes for use that have been created and implemented in different practice areas to date. When used appropriately, sensory rooms:
- Help to create a safe space
- Facilitate the therapeutic alliance
- Provide opportunities for engagement in prevention and crisis de-escalation strategies, as well as a host of other therapeutic exchanges (to teach skills, offer a variety of therapeutic activities, etc.)
- Promote self-care/self-nurturance, resilience & recovery
Generally, to help guide conceptualization, there are a variety of therapeutic spaces that may be categorized under the sensory room umbrella: sensory modulation rooms, sensory integration rooms and snoezelen rooms are examples.
The Sensory Room Umbrella
© Champagne, 2008
In mental health settings, there may be one or more sensory rooms created, which typically fall under the
sensory modulation room category. For example, on an acute or long-term care unit, there may be converted quiet room spaces that are designed to be more sensory supportive and used primarily for the purposes of crisis de-escalation and/or prevention. However, other kinds of sensory rooms in mental health care also include any additional therapeutic spaces that have been enhanced or developed for sensory supportive, therapeutic purposes. In this way, all of these sensory room spaces are used primarily to promote
sensory modulation. Whereas,
sensory integration rooms are created and used specifically by occupational therapists who are trained in sensory integration techniques and these spaces contain very specific types of equipment and intervention processes.
Snoezelen rooms are generally used with people with moderate to profound cognitive impairment (e.g., people with pervasive developmental disabilities or dementia), and are often used to promote relaxation, social interaction and/or to provide activities affording intense stimulation. In most cases, all but sensory integration rooms are used by inter-disciplinary staff with training or certification specific to the kinds of equipment and approaches offered within the space.
However, it is important to point out that a mixture of sensory modulation and snoezelen approaches may be combined if it is beneficial for the specific consumer population and practice setting. Additionally, sensory integration equipment and techniques may be utilized in either a sensory modulation or snoezelen room by a skilled occupational therapist. Further, therapeutic exchanges in sensory integration rooms may also focus on sensory modulation. Therefore, this sensory room categorization is meant to be flexible and is to be used only as a guide.
The enhancement of the physical environment, including the use of sensory rooms, affords a more nurturing and recovery-oriented therapeutic environment. Skilled nursing facilities, day treatment centers, schools, long-term care facilities, respite care homes, hospitals, emergency rooms and hospice care settings are just some of the organizations utilizing sensory rooms.
Creating & Naming the Sensory Room
The development of sensory rooms requires a collaborative process, evolving over time. Consumers and staff who are going to be using the space must be involved in the development process, as much as possible. Given the varied populations sensory rooms may be used with and purposes of use, naming a sensory room should also be a collaborative decision and reflective of the specific goals of use. For more information on the development and naming of sensory rooms refer to the section on
setting up a sensory room on this web page.
Sensory Rooms in Mental Health?
The idea to expand the use of sensory rooms to acute inpatient mental health care settings with varied populations is a more recent application, incorporating a variety of sensory modulation approaches and modalities. Hence, the use of sensory rooms in mental health settings often falls under the sensory modulation category. An essential part of this mission is to maintain an emphasis on engaging in meaningful therapeutic activities and in recognizing the inter-relatedness and importance of the therapeutic use of self and physical environment. Offering humane and self-nurturing choices for prevention and crisis de-escalation is essential and afforded in an organized and safe manner through therapeutic exchanges in sensory modulation rooms.
Two recent articles demonstrate the purpose of the incorporation of the use of sensory rooms and additional sensory-related approaches into mental health inpatient practice (Champagne & Stromberg, 2004) and provide a guideline to assist in the evolutionary process (Champagne, 2006). Champagne’s book, available through this website’s product page, is another valuable resource available to assist in the process of developing and integrating sensory rooms and other sensory approaches into mental health care practice settings.
The
skilled and responsible use of sensory rooms has become readily
endorsed by the MA State Department of Mental Health (DMH) and the
Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations
(JCAHO), and has become a focal point in hospital surveys and
re-licensing visits. It is also being promoted by the National
Technical Assistance Center, a division of the National Association
for State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD), as one of the
instrumental interventions influencing the reduction of restraint and
seclusion in mental health care settings. For more information on the
restraint and seclusion reduction initiative
click
here to visit the restraint
reduction section of this website.
There
is limited literature and research available regarding the use of
sensory rooms in acute care inpatient mental health settings with
pediatric, adolescent, and adult populations. However, the following
is an article regarding a quality improvement study conducted on the
use of the sensory room at Cooley-Dickinson Hospital's acute care
psychiatric unit:
The Effects of the Use of the Sensory Room in Psychiatry
A Quality Improvement Study
By:
Tina Champagne, M.Ed. OTR/L & Edward Sayer, Psy.D
This
quality improvement study was replicated on this unit in 2004 with
astonishingly similar results. Among the patients who utilized the
sensory room during group or individual sessions, most report having
had a positive response and a decrease in perceptions of distress.
In 2006, Champagne published an article on creating sensory rooms for
the American Occupational Therapy Association's Mental Health Special
Interest Section. The reference information for this article is:
Champagne, T. (2006). Creating sensory rooms: Environmental enhancements for acute inpatient mental health settings.
Mental Health Special Interest Section Quarterly, 29(4), 1-4.
AOTA members may download this article at:
http://www.aota.org/Pubs/SISQs.aspx
The
sensory room's purpose also corresponds with the purpose of the
Safety
Tool
developed and promoted by the Department of Mental Health in the
state of Massachusetts. The Safety Tool was developed in an attempt
to facilitate trauma-informed care and to help to reduce the
occurrences of seclusion and restraint by learning about each
person's early warning signs, triggers and what helps each
individual early in the therapeutic process. The safety tool is
typically administered by nursing staff during the initial
assessment. The information obtained through the use of the safety
tool has been helpful to occupational therapists during the
information-gathering period prior to initial therapeutic exchanges
with each consumer.
Taking
A Leadership Role
Occupational
therapists are taking a leadership role in the planning and
implementation of the use of sensory approaches across mental
healthcare settings, including the focus on environmental
modifications and enhancements, such as sensory rooms. As in other
areas of practice, the education and knowledge base of occupational
therapists helps to justify the unique role of the OT as the
qualified professional to supervise the development and
implementation of the "sensory room" and other sensory
approaches. Currently, occupational therapists are also
collaborating with administrators and other disciplines to ensure
staff trainings and competencies are developed, implemented and
maintained. Program evaluation is another important component of any
new program initiative, and occupational therapists are also playing
a key role in this area as well.
The
first adult acute inpatient mental healthcare setting to develop a
sensory room was Berkshire Medical Center (BMC) in Pittsfield, MA.
With the help of consumers and staff, Tina Champagne, OTR/L initiated
and coordinated the development and implementation of this sensory
room for adult acute care psychiatry after receiving administrative
approval in 1999. She used interviews and questionnaires with staff
and consumers to collect the following types of information: what
people wanted the purpose of the room to be, ideas for ways to
utilize the space, ideas for what to have available in the room, how
people wanted the space to be decorated, etc. At this time, there
are many such rooms in existence within acute care mental health
settings with varied themes and purposes.
The
development and implementation of sensory rooms and sensory
enhancements across settings is a process that typically evolves over
time. This affords the ability to get staff and consumer involvement
and assistance throughout the entire process. Thus, it is possible
to start a room on a very low budget and to slowly develop the space.
One of the differences between the types of sensory rooms Champagne
promotes and the more traditional "Snoezelen" style rooms, is in
the shift from spaces filled with expensive technical equipment, to a
more normalizing and replicable environment. Safety considerations
within locked acute care settings as well as the need to offer
options that the consumers can replicate outside of the hospital
setting are some of the other reasons behind the differences in both
approach and décor. Snoezelen rooms and the kinds of sensory
rooms Champagne promotes are also different from the sensory
integration style treatment rooms used specifically by occupational
therapists that are trained, certified and competent to use such
specialized equipment and techniques. Hence, it is necessary to
understand these distinctions due to the very different purposes of
each of these sensory-related therapeutic environments.
An
International Initiative
Lesley
Pinkney is an occupational therapist that helped to pioneer the
bringing together of "Snoezelen" and occupational therapy
approaches with older adults with cognitive impairments, performing
some of the initial studies with this population in the United
Kingdom. Occupational therapists in China have used sensory rooms
and gardens for older adult long-term residential settings for many
years. Katherine Smith and Angie Turner are occupational therapists
in Cornwall, England (UK). They have been instrumental within the
Cornwall Partnership Trust's planning and re-modeling projects to
create and offer more "sensory-friendly" environments. In
2003, they contracted Tina Champagne to come to Cornwall and hosted a
sensory conference specifically for OT's in mental healthcare
services across the Cornwall Partnership Trust. This international
partnership continues today as they collaborate on different
initiatives and projects.
 |
| Tina
Champagne (left) & Katherine Smith (right) together on the shore
of the Helford River, at Trebah Garden in the UK (2003).
|
Ultimately,
the use of sensory approaches and sensory rooms has increased the
focus on each individual's unique system's tendencies, patterns and
preferences. Thus, the skilled use of sensory approaches has brought
a host of more humane and recovery-focused therapeutic tools to
mental healthcare services, which appears to have significantly
influenced the quality of therapeutic exchanges occurring in mental
healthcare service delivery across the world. Providing such skilled
and supportive options empowers staff and consumers and embodies a
person-centered approach to care. This is a significant culture shift
and it is important to recognize that any significant change in the
culture of care takes time, an interdisciplinary team effort, a lot
of work and dedication.
Setting
Up A Sensory Room
Involving
both staff & consumers!
It
is essential to involve both staff and consumers in each step of this
process. Meaningful items and themes for rooms can only be determined
through actively involving staff & consumers who will be using
the treatment space. Therefore, no sensory rooms are ever the same
because this is not a cookbook process. The information and lists
provided on this web site are provided to assist with starting up a
room, are not all-inclusive and the ideas presented may not be
suitable for all settings or populations. Clinical reasoning and
brainstorming sessions with staff and consumers are essential in
order to individualize your sensory space, from the ground up. In
this way, it will surely become a unique and meaningful therapeutic
space!
Ideas
for involving staff & consumers in the process:
- Post
a flyer on your unit stating the plan to create a sensory room,
sensory area, sensory cart, sensory bins, bags or baskets.
- Ask
for any suggestions and/or donations of time to help with the
organizing of the whole project.
- Post
sign up sheets to determine who is interested in helping to plan and
create the room.
- Circulate
a unit survey to staff and consumers for ideas regarding how to
decorate the room, what to offer in the space, on the cart, theme
ideas, what to call the room, etc.
- Include
everyone in the process of creating and decorating.
- Ask
for volunteers to help you provide educational in-services to assure
staff are qualified to utilize the space and the items in a manner
that is appropriate each person's cognitive/emotional/physical
status and that things get washed as per policy.
- Ask
for ideas when creating the policies and procedures for use of the
space and the items in the space.
- Provide
opportunities for staff to explore their own sensory tendencies,
preferences and to think about how these tendencies influence their
daily routines and work habits.
Naming
your sensory room
Sensory
rooms go by many different names and are often related to the purpose
of the space within each specific setting. Some examples of names of
sensory rooms include:
- The
Sensory Modulation Room
- The
Sensory Room
- The
Zen Room
- Chillville
- The
Serenity Room
- The
Comfort Room
Developing the policy & procedure
Sensory rooms all must have a policy and procedure for use. It is important to create a policy and procedure specific to the purpose and kinds of equipment in your sensory room. The following is a sample of a general
sensory room policy:
Sample sensory room policy and procedure
Sensory
Equipment Suggestions
General
"Sensory Room" Ideas
For
adolescent and adult sensory rooms
(29 KB)
General
"Sensory Cart" Ideas
For
adolescents & adults with moderate levels of cognitive impairment
(27
KB)
For
adolescents & adults with low levels of cognitive impairment
(19 KB)
|
|
Sensory Diet: ADL Basket |
A
Few Ideas for Sensory Baskets, Buckets, or Bins
•
Keep a bucket, bin, or basket of fresh nature items for use during
each season (things to sort through, smell, touch, etc.)
◦
For the fall season (pumpkins, gourds, larger-sized cinnamon sticks,
fall flowers, Indian corn, etc.)
•
A basket with assorted items for each of the sensory areas
•
Create a men's grooming basket
•
Create a women's skin & nail care basket
•
Create a bin of beading supplies for jewelry making
•
Create a craft basket
•
Create a reminiscence basket
General
Considerations Prior to Purchasing Equipment:
•
One good rule of thumb before purchasing equipment is not to buy it
if it can't be washed in the washing machine or in hot soapy water.
•
Anything electrical always needs to go through your facility's
inspections prior to being brought onto or used on the unit.
•
Most units require rugs, curtains, beanbag chairs, and similar items
to be made with fire resistant materials. Request this information
prior to ordering, Certificates are often available upon request from
companies who assure products are fire resistant.
How
to keep track of what you have & where things are:
•
Use of a dry erase board, checklist or clipboard for signing items
in & out helps things from walking away or vanishing altogether!
General
treatment precautions:
•
Be aware of those consumers who have allergies and seizure
disorders. Do not use items with people if there is any possibility
they may be hypersensitive to it.
•
Always ask the person if they have any hypersensitivies to what you
are planning to use PRIOR to use.
•
Be aware of any respiratory or cardiac precautions
Sensory
Room Slide Shows
Community
Integration
It
is essential for consumers to leave hospital settings with discharge
"packets" (an occupational portfolio) to share with out
patient providers, family members and caregivers. This should be
organized and contain worksheets and information regarding the
variety of techniques learned and practiced, and plans for
incorporating these skills and ideas into daily schedules and home,
school and/or work environments. This is an essential part of the
discharge planning process. This provides one of the necessary
links between hospital and discharge environments to support success
with the transition from inpatient to community level of care.
With
this increased support, many consumers have created sensory spaces
within their group homes with the assistance of staff. Others have
created various types of "sensory spaces" within their own
homes. Residential educational settings often request occupational
therapy consultation services to create more "sensory-friendly"
spaces and sensory rooms within classrooms and living quarters.
Recommendations and planning for the transition from hospital to the
community typically requires assistance to adapt what was helpful in
the hospital for use at home and in community levels of care.
Sensory Room and Snoezelen References
The
following is a growing listing of many of the articles and studies
published about the use of sensory rooms available in the literature
to date. If you are aware of any others please email those references
to:
This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it
.
This will assist in keeping this resource list as up to date as
possible for worldwide networking!
Sensory Room and Snoezelen References
Links to vendors of sensory room equipment
