engleski

Soundscape Design for Management of Behavioral Disorders: A Pilot Study among Nursing Home Residents with Dementia

For nursing home residents with dementia, the decrease in communication skills and in social interactions might lead to an increased isolation and can result in a higher risk of behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD). In the framework of the AcustiCare project, several nursing homes in Flanders (Belgium) are participating in the development and testing of specifically designed soundscapes aiming to reduce BPSD in residents and to improve the quality of care. Co-creation sessions with staff and family members were organized in the nursing homes of the project to manage the acoustic environments that residents will likely be exposed to in their bedrooms and living rooms. The sessions resulted in a 24-hour schedule with alternation of existing sounds, added sounds and silence, which was then delivered in both bedrooms and living rooms with the help of active systems. The sounds were purposively selected to promote adapted behaviour of the residents, based on aspects of the enhancement of safety, the change of moods and the stimulation of specific reactions of the residents. This study presents the result of a pilot experiment and the reflections emerging from the focus group assessment performed with staff members after the experiment.

soundscape design ; nursing homes ; dementia

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