Low Scent, Fragrances in Mental Health Unit Design
This blog will outline the rationale for a low scent environment in Mental Health Units and offer recommendations with respect to the design of these environments.
People admitted to Mental Health inpatient Units present with a wide range of mental health disorders including schizophrenia, Borderline Personality Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Autism. It is now understood that people with these diagnoses experience a higher rate of sensory sensitivities and other sensory processing challenges compared to the general population (Stromberg et al).
The prevalence of fragrance sensitivities were investigated in the United States, United kingdom, Australia and Sweden by Steinemann (2019) and results included:
· 75.8% of Autistics are sensitive to fragrances
· 26% of the general population report being diagnosed with asthma/asthma like conditions and 57.8% are also fragrance sensitive.
Homeostatic Sensory Reset Hypothesis
Sensory Modulation Brisbane has developed a worksheet (including a fillable option) to support structured application of the Homeostatic Sensory Reset Hypothesis. The worksheet includes practical considerations to guide the safe selection and use of gustatory input within everyday contexts. The worksheet includes prompts addressing practical considerations, FODMAP requirements, oral care, and intended use of the strategy.
DIN Model of Using Sensory Modulation as an Intervention
Sensory input can be changed by using the acronym DIN -
· Decreasing the sensory input
· Increasing the sensory input
· (introducing) New sensory input
Sensory Modulation Interventions to Support Sexual Intimacy
Sexual intimacy, which includes sex, sexual activities and other intimate activities, for many is an important and meaningful occupational role. Participation in sexual intimacy can be influenced and impacted by a range of factors. This blog suggests that using a sensory lens to explore some of these factors in more detail can be beneficial. Furthermore, sensory solutions can go a long way to help support a person’s feelings of safety, enjoyment and engagement in sexual intimacy.
To better understand sexual intimacy with regard to factors that impact sexual response and arousal, it is helpful to understand the Dual-control model of sexual response.
Hot Spots and Hot What’s
Mental Health Units, Emergency Departments and other hospital and care environments are places where higher levels of aggression and frustration can occur. Within these environments there can be specific locations/areas which have an even greater concentration of aggression and frustration. These locations can be described as Hot Spots. (Gillespie et al 2018). In the safe wards literature, the physical environment is one of six domains or categories of factors that can give rise to flashpoints, which have the capacity to trigger conflict and/or containment. (Bowers, 2014).
This article will explore how to identify Hot Spots (and Hot What’s) and some solutions to address them.
Hot What’s = Sensory Modulation Brisbane term to describe the sensory input that is present at hot spots.
Safe Spaces Resource
Sensory Modulation Brisbane team wrote a chapter for the Safe Spaces Network for Brisbane North
Tools and resources: a working document.
Chapter on Sensory Modulation
The chapter includes information on:
What is Sensory Modulation?
what can Sensory Modulation be used to achieve?
How does Sensory Modulation work?
Sensory Modulation in Safe Spaces
Designing Spaces
Sensory Spaces Audit