It was so fun today to see a patient sitting outside greeting visitors.. waving and smiling... eating in the diningroom etc. The same patient that used to stay in her room and scream at people when they entered the room and tried to help her with anything. It's called environmental engagement and it's like turning on someone's life light switch. You do this by spoiling the patient and very slowly helping them interact with his/her environment. It usually involves a lot of sensory approaches. Finding out which sensory things attract the patient and which things the patient avoids. Helping him or her be able to tolerate those sensory items that cause him/her anxiety... and giving him/her the sensory stimuli that they crave...that's a skilled intervention and an art. We'll be exploring more sensory interventions in future blog entries.
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