[The effect of sensory stimulation in the sensory stimulation room on the well-being of demented elderly. A cross-over trial in residents of the R.C. Care Center Bernardus in Amsterdam].

Abstract

A controlled cross-over experiment was carried out to investigate the effect of snoezelen in the snoezelenroom on the well-being of elderly people with dementia. Seventeen elderly residents from the Bernardus Nursing Home in Amsterdam participated. All were in a very advanced stage of dementia requiring a high level of care and nursing. In this study, the presence of behavioural problems was used as a basis for the measurement of well-being. The behaviour was registered by video cameras and analysed by means of certain subscales of a Dutch behavioural observation scale for intramural psychogeriatrics, the Gedragsobservatieschaal voor Intramurale Psychogeriatrie (GIP). The results showed that less behavioural problems were seen with the experimental intervention. This indicates a higher degree of well-being during the snoezelen activity in the snoezelen room than when the residents remained in the living room. The results of this study indicate the need for a large-scale study in which additional outcome parameters are measured.