Snoezelen, or controlled multisensory environment (MSE)
Snoezelen, also known as controlled multisensory environments (MSEs), are specially designed therapy rooms that provide a stimulating yet calming experience for individuals with various cognitive and developmental disabilities. These rooms are characterized by colorful light displays, soothing music, and a range of sensory activities aimed at promoting relaxation, communication, and learning. Snoezelen environments have been shown to benefit individuals with conditions such as autism, Down syndrome, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease.
The concept of Snoezelen originated in the 1960s and was further developed in the 1970s in the Netherlands, where researchers created sensory rooms to enhance the sensory experiences of individuals with disabilities. The term "Snoezelen" combines Dutch words meaning "to seek and explore" and "to relax," reflecting the dual purpose of these spaces. Snoezelen rooms can be found in various settings, including schools, hospitals, and assisted living facilities, and they often facilitate therapeutic activities like finger painting and tactile exploration.
These environments not only provide a safe space for individuals to decompress but also encourage interaction and engagement with caregivers and therapists. For older adults, especially those with cognitive impairments, Snoezelen rooms can reduce agitation and improve mood, enabling them to navigate their environment more comfortably. Overall, Snoezelen rooms represent an innovative approach to supporting mental and emotional well-being through sensory stimulation.
On this Page
Snoezelen, or controlled multisensory environment (MSE)
Snoezelen,or controlled multisensory environments (MSEs), are special therapy rooms that help people who have numerous ailments or cognitive disabilities relax, calm down, and learn. They also may be referred to as Snoezelen rooms or multisensory rooms. Snoezelen rooms feature colorful light displays, music, and various sensory activities that are meant to engage individuals while helping them relax. In addition to relaxation, the rooms can promote stimulation and communication and are helpful to therapists who work with people who have developmental or other disabilities. Snoezelen rooms can be used as learning environments as well, teaching patients through the use of various tactile projects, such as artistic activities like finger painting or blowing bubbles. Snoezelen rooms have proved beneficial for patients of all ages, including those with varying degrees of autism, Down syndrome, Alzheimer's disease, and dementia. Snoezelen rooms can be set up in schools, homes, hospitals, and other areas and can even be part of mobile units that travel to different places.
Background
Although the use of Snoezelen rooms is growing in the twenty-first century as the technology within them continues to improve, the concept behind the rooms is not new. Theories about the beneficial impacts of controlled MSEs, particularly for those with cognitive or developmental disabilities, first began to emerge in the 1960s. A pair of American psychologists, C. C. Cleland and C. M. Clark, studied how stimulating the senses could benefit individuals with autism, hyperactivity, and developmental impairments. The two researchers referred to specially curated rooms they called "sensory cafeterias," in which those with cognitive or other disabilities could be immersed in various experiences meant to stimulate the senses of sight, hearing, touch, and smell.
The concept of controlled MSEs was furthered in the 1970s when a pair of researchers in the Netherlands developed special sensory rooms that were the precursor to those in use in the twenty-first century. Ad Verheul and Jan Hulsegge created MSEs that transformed spaces into areas where those with disabilities could experience a variety of sensations. The researchers employed the use of light and sound elements along with light breezes, various smells, and music. The pair called these MSEs "Snoezelen rooms." The word snoezelen comes from a combination of the Dutch words snuffelen, meaning "to seek and explore," and doezelen, which means "to relax."
Verheul and Hulsegge first introduced the concept of Snoezelen rooms at the De Hartenburg Institute in the Netherlands, where they set up a sensory tent for one weekend. By the end of the weekend, the pair had noticed positive results for the patients. As more people learned of the benefits of MSEs, Snoezelen rooms began to grow in popularity. The first Snoezelen room in the United Kingdom opened in 1987 in Whittington Hall, an institute in England for adults with intellectual disabilities. Despite their growing popularity in Europe, Snoezelen rooms did not arrive in North America until 1992, when facilities opened in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and New York City.
Overview
Stimulating the senses through the use of MSEs has proven beneficial for patients with a wide variety of disorders, including those with autism, hyperactivity, dementia, and Alzheimer's disease, among others. MSEs can include a variety of stimuli, such as the following:
- Various sensory activities, such as blowing bubbles or finger painting
- Tactile experiences during which patients can touch wall panels with different textures and patterns
- Therapeutic lighting effects, including fiber optics, bubble lights, ultraviolet lights, mirror balls, and others
- Sounds, such as various types of music, nature sounds, or animal noises
- Tasting experiences with different foods and drinks
- Soft, relaxing spaces with floor mats, pillows, suspension swings, or beanbags
Because those with autism, Down syndrome, or other cognitive impairments see the world differently, controlled MSEs allow them to explore new things under the guidance of a caregiver or therapist. Snoezelen rooms are used as tools for achieving specific goals for the individual, such as increased communication, mobility, and other learning goals. Since patients see the room as a chance to play and explore, they feel more relaxed than they would in a traditional therapy setting, which often allows for greater communication between patients and their therapists. Snoezelen rooms help those with autism calm down and relax because they are able to escape from a world that may seem overstimulating to them and instead play in a room where their experiences are controlled.
In addition to helping those with developmental disabilities, controlled MSEs can be beneficial to older adults with cognitive impairments such as dementia or Alzheimer's disease. Many assisted-living communities throughout the United States are beginning to develop Snoezelen rooms for their residents to stimulate senses they might otherwise not be using. Snoezelen rooms allow for increased communication between residents and caregivers because they help residents relax in situations during which they may otherwise be frightened or upset.
Snoezelen rooms have been shown to improve behavior and mood in Alzheimer's and dementia patients by offering gentle stimulation that reduces tension. This is particularly beneficial for those suffering from "sundowners," which is a type of dementia that causes patients to become increasingly agitated or upset as the day goes on or on gloomy days with little sun. Controlled MSEs also allow for an increased knowledge and understanding of the environment, particularly for Alzheimer's patients who may experience varying degrees of memory loss. Experiencing the various sensations that Snoezelen rooms offer helps Alzheimer's patients relearn certain skills and revisit experiences the disease may have taken from them.
Bibliography
Bemis, Elizabeth. "The Benefits of a Snoezelen Room for Alzheimer's Care." United Methodist Homes, 22 May 2013, www.umh.org/assisted-independent-living-blog/bid/292480/the-benefits-of-a-snoezelen-room-for-alzheimer-s-care. Accessed 26 Feb. 2018.
Carroll, Lauren. "Autistic Children, and Adults, Find Calm in a 'Snoezelen' Room." Tampa Bay Times, 27 Aug. 2013, www.tampabay.com/news/health/autistic-children-and-adults-find-calm-in-a-snoezelen-room/2138553. Accessed 26 Feb. 2018.
John, Liliya. "Multi-sensory Environments and Their Use by People with Autism." Altogether Autism, 17 Mar. 2017, altogetherautism.org.nz/autism-information/3869/multi-sensory-environments-use-people-autism/. Accessed 26 Feb. 2018.
"Multi Sensory Environments: A Short History." Hidden Angel Foundation, www.cdhaf.org/multi-sensory-environments-a-short-history/. Accessed 26 Feb. 2018.
Qidwae, Aisha. "Therapy in a Multisensory Environment, a Room That Soothes." Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 25 June 2012, archive.jsonline.com/news/health/therapy-in-a-multisensory-environment-a-room-that-soothes-h15r5if-160301965.html. Accessed 26 Feb. 2018.
"What Are the Benefits of a Multi-sensory Environment (MSE)?" World Wide Snoezelen, www.worldwidesnoezelen.nl/en/clienten-en/item/758-what-are-the-benefits-of-a-multi-sensory-environment-mse. Accessed 26 Feb. 2018.
"What Are Multi Sensory Environments?" Hidden Angel Foundation, www.cdhaf.org/what-are-multi-sensory-environments/. Accessed 26 Feb. 2018.
"What Is Snoezelen?" Snoezelen, www.snoezelen.info/ Accessed 26 Feb. 2018.