Document Type

Capstone

Abstract

Background: The prevalence of individuals with Alzheimer's and dementia is growing exponentially in long term care facilities, with restraints and seclusion becoming the method of intervention when behaviors arise (American Occupational Therapy Association, 2015). North Carolina is moving to decrease the amount of physical restraints and psychotropic medication usage in long term care to decrease harm caused to the residents. Project Purpose: This project intends to design a sensory integration closet program for use in a long-term care facility to facilitate a decrease in behavior outbursts and correlating psychotropic medication usage in residents with Alzheimer's disease and dementia. Coinciding training with the program will provide an evidenced-based justification, and will prove to be practical with effective interventions, for the use of sensory integrative strategies to address behavioral outbursts and/or reduction in use of psychotropic medications with Alzheimer's and dementia patients. Design: Preceding research of utilization of sensory integration with relation to Alzheimer's and dementia was evaluated. Designated sensory closet space and funding was determined in collaboration with the occupational therapist and facility administration. The sensory closet was organized according sense in which to be addressed, with options available to intervene in the client's room if unable to transport to the sensory closet space. A record was placed in the sensory closet cataloguing and outlining each resident, how to implement each sensory intervention, and a chart to document if the intervention was successful in decreasing the behavior. An informative in-service was held at a long-term care facility with 33 direct-patient care staff members in attendance, with education including background on Alzheimer's and dementia, physiological changes of the brain, and the benefits of a sensory integrative approach with management of behaviors. Upon completion of the educational training, data was collected from each participant analyzing the evidenced based approach, the overall effectiveness of the design, and the practicality for use with their clients. Results: Based on the data collected from participants in attendance, 100% of the participants responded favorably to the appropriate design of the sensory closet and the diversity of the interventions provided within the closet Identical data suggests the education was relevant to the content of the sensory closet program, and current evidence supports justification of sensory interventions in the management of behavioral outbursts and/or reduction of psychotropic medication usage in Alzheimer's and dementia patients. Conversely, 21.2% of participants consider the sensory closet program too time consuming. Participants' feedback suggests inclusion of a visual aide for the sensory closet would prove beneficial, and the education should be extended to families of participating residents. Significance Alzheimer's disease and dementia affect all areas of daily activities, leisure and social participation, sensory perceptual skills, emotional regulation, and cognition. Occupational therapy has the unique ability to create an individualized sensory plan for these individuals to decrease the occurrence of behavior outbursts and related psychotropic medication usage within long term care. Future considerations of the sensory closet program include hosting educational sessions in a smaller setting to increase dialogue between trainer and staff. In addition, educational training will be extended to the responsible party of the facility resident.

Publication Date

4-2016

Download

Share

COinS