Building Sensational Relationships: Understand, Connect, Engage
What is dementia? What is sensory? Learn about factors that influence experience and behavior, including dementia-related brain changes, environmental inputs, and a person’s unique sensory profile.
Create trust and build positive rapport using emotional and sensory regulating strategies for successful interaction. Learn how to intentionally approach people so they feel safe, welcome, and cared for.
Do the things that bring joy to life. Create accessible opportunities to engage in meaningful, sensory-rich activities. Optimize health, well-being, and participation in life.
A sensory-friendly care partner considers and respects the sensory differences, preferences, and needs of others. They understand that certain types of sensory input can be uncomfortable or distressing, so they adjust their approach, modify the environment, and create predictable experiences. There are 8 sensory systems. The STAR Institute emphasizes the fact that everyone processes sensation; […]
Distress is a way to communicate that something feels unsafe, uncomfortable, challenging, or off-balance. Further, distress in dementia presents in different ways. Common examples include activity avoidance, physical and verbal aggression, pacing, restlessness, yelling, and sleep disturbances. Distress in dementia can occur for a variety of reasons (remember, all behavior is communication). For example: Medical: […]
Dr. Ross Greene, a child psychologist, sends an important message that can be applied to people of all ages. He says [people] do well if they can. Compassionate communities recognize that challenging behavior does not have harmful intent. Instead, it is a person’s way to “express frustrations over a lagging skill or an unmet expectation”. […]
A majority of older Americans say they want to remain in their home as long as possible (1). After all, home is a familiar place of comfort, independence, and security. Seniors can experience age-related or dementia-related sensory changes that impact the way they function in their environment. This home safety checklist highlights strategies that can […]
Meditation and mindfulness are evidence-based tools that can facilitate a calm response instead of an impulsive reaction during times of stress. Sensory meditation and mindfulness help interrupt the brain’s negativity bias. It takes practice and patience to develop the skill. However, the personal and relational benefits are worth the effort. Researchers at University College London […]