Setting up a sensory room

Setting up a snoozing room: creating an atmospheric place where you can explore. Sensory activating you might say! So this is exactly the purpose of this space. Why make a snoozle room like this? Because snoezelen has a positive effect on elderly people, people with dementia or people with intellectual disabilities. And you guessed it: smell is unmissable when talking about stimulating senses in care!

Creating a snoozle room

When designing snoozle rooms, several aspects are taken into account. First, it has to be functional and have the right atmosphere. By creating a safe place, elderly people, people with dementia or people with intellectual disabilities will feel free to show their emotions. In addition, the space should be designed to avoid reminders of obligations. On the contrary, a snoozing room should give the impression that anything goes. After all, this is all about letting go and getting your mind off things. Moreover, it is convenient to do this without screens. People are already overstimulated enough in daily life by TVs, iPads or phones. Decorating is better done with snoozing room materials.

Snoozle room materials

These are special materials that stimulate all the senses. Examples include certain objects with light effects in the room. Think bright light, or just warm light, lava lamps or projectors on the walls. These provide a stimulus in sight. Do you provide materials that make noise, such as a block that rattles when you shake it? Then hearing also gets a boost. Besides, music often brings back certain memories and will have a positive impact on hearing. A simple tinkering basket with different items of various materials provides orientation with touch. This turns out to be very suitable for remedying motor restlessness! In addition, smell is another important sense when it comes to sensory stimulation. Subconsciously, your feelings are strongly influenced by it. You can go in different directions with smell. A pleasant smell throughout the room, for instance, creates a familiar and pleasant atmosphere. Does the scent come from a certain object, or do you use scent for certain games in the room? Then the scent ensures that a focus is established on one activity. This gives individuals a goal to work on!

Snoezelen and dementia

What do snoezelen and dementia have to do with each other? Furnishing a space is mainly designed for people with dementia. Snoezelen with people with dementia is therefore very important and conducive to coping and expressing emotions. Not only because this is pleasant for people with dementia themselves, but also for caregivers to communicate with their client. Demented people can express themselves better through a snoozing room and the materials used. They thus release emotions that they normally find more difficult to release. From this, a caregiver can provide information. But snoezelen can also trigger memories in dementia patients. For example, through smell!

The benefits of scent in a snoozle room

Bringing back memories is not the only thing scent can do. Scent has several advantages in snoozle rooms. The first advantage is that scent largely subconsciously influences people's feelings. This means logically: a pleasant smell makes people feel comfortable. This contributes to relaxation of persons in the room and the feeling of safety. A pleasant and familiar scent can also reduce anxiety and reduce irritation. Are people having a good time? Then they will gladly return to the room in question. A factor on which scent therefore has an important effect!

Would you like personal advice on which scents are suitable for your snooze room(s)? Then request a no-obligation scent plan! Our scent consultants will be happy to help you!