Family caregivers are often concerned with how they can improve the quality of life and well-being of a person living with advanced dementia. Often, this person lives in a personal, passive, confused, and sometimes restless world. Sensory stimulation can help a person connect with themselves.
and to his environment and to create a connection and moments of enjoyment shared by the person and his caregivers.
Sensory stimulation is a common therapeutic method for people in the advanced stages of dementia and has many benefits, including increasing connection, alertness, memory, and reviving emotions.
The key to successful interaction and sensory stimulation lies in creating a connection with the person, which includes eye contact, touch, calling their name, and being fully present with them in the here and now. "I want to show you... I know you love..."
Below are some simple ideas for activities that can be done with the person using objects found at home. Some activities may stimulate the person and others may calm them down. It is important to experiment.
And pay attention to how the person responds and how much they enjoy them. A certain response one day may not necessarily be repeated the next. Try repeating the activities daily while paying attention to the response, even at different times of the day.
Look at colorful pictures, at beautiful things inside and outside the house. It is important that the pictures and stimuli be large, colorful, and simple to look at, generally things that the person likes.
Music works wonders on us. It can improve mood, stimulate with a happy beat, and calm with a pleasant melody. Despite memory loss, people often remember favorite songs. Play the music that the person likes throughout the day and even when they resist treatment, for example while bathing.
Inhabit the person with the help of Smells Favorites that can evoke memories, such as a favorite perfume or smells from your mother's kitchen. Use spices from the kitchen and garden. Make sure the scent is strong enough.
Arousing scents are: coffee, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom, and spices from the garden such as rosemary, mint, myrtle and citrus fruits (especially the peels where the fragrant essential oil is found).
Soothing scents are: lavender, geranium and lemon balm.
Food It is one of the most basic pleasures that a person can enjoy, food is pleasure!
Try to offer favorite foods in a variety of flavors, including sweet, sour, salty, with different textures, hot or cold.
The touch It is a healing force. Express feelings of warmth, love, and connection with its help.
Hand massage with fragrant hand cream
Place your hands on the person's shoulders, from behind (without startling them by approaching from behind)
Apply a fragrant body lotion after a shower.
Encourage the person to apply the cream to their hands and face themselves.
Prepare a “hand bath” in a large bowl with warm water, liquid soap, and a sponge. Encourage him to move his fingers in the water, touch the sponge, squeeze it, and even help him wash his hands.
Pet different animals
Touch different textures and objects in the house that the person is attached to. Use balls, pillows, fabrics, and even dolls.
movement – It is important to move even when the person is confined to a wheelchair and even when they are passive. However, one should not force a movement that the person is unable to do or if it appears to cause them suffering and pain!
Encourage him to move his arms up and down, from side to side, hold his hands and move them to the rhythm of music or singing, clapping and drumming. Also move his legs as much as possible. Movement of the joints is especially important to prevent the formation of a cushion and to increase blood flow to prevent pressure sores. For a person who is not moving, it is important to change positions. Use balls, rubber bands and pillows of different sizes, bowling games, threading rings, etc.
Stimulate the senses throughout the day (Ten minutes, morning, afternoon and evening)
Shower – turn it into a fragrant spa experience accompanied by music
A meal – that should be colorful, delicious, and in a pleasant place and atmosphere
Written by: Debi Lahav and Dafna Golan Shemesh
