Effectiveness of Sensory Therapy for Dementia Patients at Highgate

This report focuses on the adoption of sensory therapy for individuals with dementia within the Highgate Care Home. It begins with an introduction to dementia and the rationale for sensory therapy, emphasizing its potential to stimulate senses and evoke positive feelings. The report details the background of dementia, its symptoms, and the benefits of sensory therapy, including tactile, vestibular, and proprioceptive stimulation. It identifies problems such as lack of awareness and opportunities like improved patient care and innovative healthcare practices. The justification for adopting sensory therapy highlights its effectiveness in addressing memory loss, language difficulties, and depression. The research overview covers the methods, objectives, and project plan, including a Gantt chart and risk management considerations. The report concludes with recommendations for implementing sensory therapy, addressing leadership theories, and suggesting areas for further research to improve the quality of life for dementia patients at Highgate Care Home.

To adopt the practice of using
Sensory therapy in people with
dementia in care home

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................ 3
BACKGROUND.......................................................................................................................... 3
PROBLEMS AND OPPORTUNITIES.............................................................................................4
JUSTIFICATION..........................................................................................................................5
RESEARCH OVERVIEW.............................................................................................................. 6
Gantt Chart/Budget/Graphic....................................................................................................7
RISK MANAGEMENT.................................................................................................................7
OPPORTUNITIES FOR FURTHER RESEARCH...............................................................................9
LEADERSHIP THEORY:...............................................................................................................9
Recommendation- .................................................................................................................14
CONCLUSION.......................................................................................................................... 16
REFERENCES:.......................................................................................................................... 17
APPENDIX 1............................................................................................................................ 20

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
There are different type of health related issues that are faced by individuals and it
is the responsibility of health care provides to make sure that they deliver patients
with high quality services. Dementia is a chronic mental disorder which is caused
due to brain disease or any injury. The research encompasses the effectiveness and
significance of using sensory therapy in the Healthgate care home to treat the
patients suffering from dementia. The methods that can be used in the adoption are
also discussed.
INTRODUCTION
This study mainly concentrates on the various factors to deal with the disease Dementia,
a degenerative disorder of the mental processes. This research contains the importance of the
adopting the sensory therapy practice for the people suffering from Dementia in care homes
(Hallberg and et.al, 2016.). The major duties that should be played by a leader in enhancing the
safety measures for the patients' are also discussed in this assignment. These roles will help in
assuring better services for the patients. Problems and opportunities to solve these issues are
however explained in this report. Furthermore, a detailed research of this report is also done to
examine the different perspectives of the patients for the services of the hospital. In addition to
this, some important leadership theories are also explained in order to bring effectiveness in the
leaders. Moreover, impelling tools for the bringing advancement in the services of the hospitals
including the planning and organizing methods are discussed in this learning.
The research is conducted to bring change in within care home with respect to making
use of sensory therapy. There are issues with respect to making use of the therapy as care
providers do not resist the changes (Gee, Thompson and Miller, 2017). Different people have
diverse set of perception that are carried out by them some may have positive and some will be
negative. In this context, it is important that proper focus should be made in which patient with
dementia are delivered with adequate services so that they will be able to make sure that patients
will adopt the change effectively and efficiently.
BACKGROUND
This report is based on the preparation of the undertaking plan that is the adoption of
sensory therapy for people suffering from Dementia, a mental disease. This illness is caused by
some brain disease or injury that has happened to the brain in the past. The common symptoms
are memory disorders, changes in personality and anosmic reasoning. In order to get rid of this

disease, a form of occupational therapy is used, namely, sensory therapy that contains some
special exercise which improves the sense of touch, balance, and presence of body parts which
directly helps in the recovery from Dementia. These senses are classified into three parts- tactile,
vestibular and proprioceptive. This medical care stimulates the visual, auditory, olfactory,
gustatory and tactile senses within the patient and helps them in evoking positive feelings. Other
than Dementia, this therapy also used to treat the condition of Alzheimer's. Autism, brain injuries
and chronic pain (Dewing and Dijk, 2016). The present report is based on Highgate care home
who provide care to older people and younger adult who suffer from disability. Along with this
they provide complex care to people who suffer from dementia diseases. This entity is providing
the medical services to the persons having physical or mental problems. Along with this there are
some changes which need to make in health care home related to providing services to people
who suffer from memory loss and other physical disability. Here it is important to adopt new
technologies and provide training facility to services provider so that they can easily provide
sensory therapy practices to people who are suffering from dementia. Due to lack of knowledge
related to the diseases from which services user are suffering such as Dementia lead to provide
useless treatment.. Therefore, it is important to provide knowledge and training to service user so
that they can effectively provide the treatment (Zubrycki and Granosik, 2016,). This changes
need to implement at the Highgate care home.
PROBLEMS AND OPPORTUNITIES
Problems: In Highgate care home, there are many issues are identified. It is observed that the
patients that are being treated in the organization are not much safe with the services that are
been provided to them and advance technology are not used in respect to provide treatment . The
major challenge is also of the lack of awareness of the Dementia disease among the people
(Worthington and et.al, 2017).
For dementia diseases it is important to provide proper care and treatment. If people who
are suffering from these diseases are not provided care then they may suffer from negative
feeling and depression and anxiety. In Highgate care home people should effectively use sensory
therapy practices so that service user can overcome from their diseases. Dementia is a result of
impaired cognition which is result of brain damage. Therefore, it is possible that patient with
dementia may not able to recognise services provider and may be unable to understand that why
therapy is applied on them (Kratz, Kerr and Porter, 2017). Due to this reason patient may

become aggressive and refuse to work with service provider. Therefore, it is important for the
healthcare practitioner to build good therapeutic rapport with them.
Opportunities: the issues associated with the various requirements can be resolved by getting
these needs in the services provided by the Highgate care home. They are giving to the patients
and time gap should also be considered by them. They should also need to show leniency
towards the visits of the family members of the patients and should treat them nicely (Rock and
et.al, 2016). Innovations in the field of health care will also assist the medical services
effectively and hence, proper facilities will be provided to the patients. It is important to provide
treatment to patient with proper care so that negative feeling not get appear in their mind and
they not get depressed. Through focusing on maintaining strengthen and promoting wellness of
care provider, service user of Highgate care home can easily enrich lives of the person with
dementia and by promoting maximal performance in preferred activities (Gee, Thompson and
Miller, 2017). Along with this, practitioner can determine the things which is working well in the
daily routine of the person with dementia and assist to an individual for making sure that person
skill can be maintained for a long time as possible. Furthermore, it is possible that patient with
dementia may not able to recognise services provider and may be unable to understand that why
therapy is applied on them. Due to this reason patient may become aggressive and refuse to work
with service provider. Therefore, it is important for the healthcare practitioner to build good
therapeutic rapport with them.
JUSTIFICATION
The disease, 'dementia' is harming a major population range and needs to be treated in an
effective manner. The illness causes range of issues such as memory loss, language difficulties,
disorientation, delusions, etc. Besides this, after reaching to a high level, terrible depression can
be felt which may influence the affected person to suicide. Hence, it is essential to treat the
disease with some impelling technique that can overcome the side-effects and evoke positivity to
the patients who are suffering from dementia.
The rationale for adopting sensory therapy lies within its benefits and power to stimulate
the senses which helps in making patients' feel positive. However, it may be noted that the
healthcare professionals of the Highgate Care Home are not much aware of this practice which
can impact on the advantages that are kept by this medical care. Thus, the major reason behind

conducting this study is to promote the adoption of the sensory therapy for mentally challenged
patients. The objectives present here is to render the best knowledge of implementation of this
medical care in the entity. Further, the depressed mood is also an element that requires to be
healed by facilitating patients with a better and effectual replacement. Also, the less-effective
previous treatment methods are required to be replaced by this therapy because of their side-
effects. In addition to this, the study will aim on entire development of the management for
sensory therapy which will assist in gaining the direct method to apply this in the organisation.
RESEARCH OVERVIEW
Dementia is a chronic mental disorder which is caused due to brain disease or any injury.
It leads to memory disorder, multiple personalities, and impairment in reasoning. People
suffering from this disease find a problem in thinking, problem-solving activities or language.
The intensity of the disease may differ from one person to another and it also effects on daily life
activities. The patients also experience a change in their mood and behavior very frequently.
This research will cover the methods in which the healthcare home can adopt the sensory
therapy in their nursing practices. The major objective for carrying out the learning is to provide
best medical treatment to the people who are facing high level of Dementia. Further, this
understanding will help in improving the quality of life of the affected person. Besides this, the
ways of rendering training to the hospital staff about proper implementation of the therapy will
be focused. To facilitate patients with diminishing the severe side-effects of various medical
treatment, this tool will be used. For conducting this research, both the primary and the
secondary sources will be used. With the help of feedback's from the patients, the effectiveness
of the plan will be measured. Also, modifications will be done on the basis of comments of the
clients. However, the secondary sources will provide with the advantage of the learning and
implementing the therapy. In addition, various risks associated with the plan will be discussed so
that managing strategies can be prepared. Thus, in this research the whole management plan of
implementing sensory therapy in Chelate Care Home will be developed.
This project will demonstrate a well-structured program of including sensory activities in the
care homes
The aim of the research: To adopt sensory therapy practice for people suffering from Dementia
in Highgate Care home.
Objectives of the research:

 To understand the importance of sensory therapy practices to provide better treatment to
the patient of Highgate care home.
 To analyse the effectiveness of sensory therapy practice on people suffering from
Dementia in Highgate Care home.
 To recommend strategies for improving sensory therapy practices to Hightgate care
home.
Project plan: In order to plan for the project, there is a different type of tools that can be
used. In this context, one of the effective tools is PDSA. This is a type of work sheet that
documents proper steps with the help of which change can be implemented. There are four
different type of steps which are involved in its documentation. With this respect, it includes
plan, does, study and act (Meijboom, Van den Bosch and Schalk, 2014).
Gantt Chart/Budget/Graphic
Table 1: Time scale for the current research
Key activity / Weeks 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1
0
1
1
1
2
1
3
1
4
1
5 16
Recognition of issues
Identification of strategies
Strategic plans
Action plan implementation
Coordinating with staff
members
Evaluation of project
Report preparation

RISK MANAGEMENT
It is important to understand the risk involved in the project so that it can be assessed that
whether the planned project is feasible or not.
The identified risks involved in this project is
 Increased financial costs
 Education and training to the staff
 Wrong medication to the patients
 Mental imbalances of the patients
 Ineffective communication
The risk involved in the project implementation can be ranked on basis of likelihood in the
following manner:
Potential Risk Likelihood Rank Reason
Increase in financial cost Very Likely 5
Increase in the cost of the
products involved can further
increase the cost of the projects
as well.
Education and training to the
staff Likely 4
Incorrect education and training
can reduce the impact of sensory
therapy on the patients.
Wrong medication to the
patients Possible 3
Wrong medications can be
harmful to the patients which
can cost to the life as well.
Mental imbalances of the
patients Unlikely 2
It is difficult to understand the
patients of Dementia which can
make create difficulty for the
staff.
Ineffective communication Very unlikely 1 Ineffective communication

among the staff can lead to loss
of important communication.
However, effective
communication will reduce this
risk to the minimum.
Impact of the risk can be ranked on the basis of its severity in the following manner:
Potential Risk Impact Rank
Ineffective communication Severe 5
Education and training to the staff Significant 4
Wrong medication to the patients Moderate 3
Mental imbalances of the patients Minor 2
Ineffective communication Negligible 1
OPPORTUNITIES FOR FURTHER RESEARCH
Present research is to adopt the sensory process in care homes of patients suffering from
Dementia. Further, research can be conducted to assess the implication of this activity in the care
homes. Moreover, research on the work of staff in care homes can also be assessed in near future
(Richardson and et.al., 2013). There are various issues involved in opting for sensory activity in
care homes such as, lack of education of the staff members, awareness of the disease among the
employees, roles, and responsibilities of the nurses, lack of training are some of them. Research
for each of the topic can be conducted and its evaluation can be implemented in care homes. A
research can be conducted where the reasons of this carelessness of the doctors, nurses, and staff
can be identified. It helps in mitigating this risk and improve the performance of staff in the care
home.

LEADERSHIP THEORY:
For developing the whole management of sensory therapy in the care home, some leadership
skills must be required for enhancing them within all the employees. These could help in the
better and effective management of the whole process in the care home. It is all done to make
sure that it has been implemented well within all the employee of the Highgate care home so that
they can provide it further to the patients. Some leadership skills must be required for the
implementation of it in the whole staff of the hospital.
In the Highgate care home, the staff should be treated in a way that they remain focused towards
their work and also are happy in the culture. It is important to provide treatment to patient
Situational Leadership could help and it has been discussed here.
Directive: The management must be clear about managing the responsibilities and the various
ways for distribution of work within the employees. It should be capable enough that everyone
including the care providers and the staff follows it properly. After allotting the specific work to
the care providers, the management should also monitor them on a regular basis. It can help them
in evaluating the basic level of the employees and also can get the idea where they lack
Supportive: Along with some strict behavior with the care providers, the management should
also stay supportive with them. It is also equally important. It helps the staff members to stay
positive and they are more able to focus on the work. The management should listen to them also
if they also are suffering from some issue or dealing with any mental or physical issue which
directly or indirectly is affecting their work.
Management should interact with them on a regular basis , engage them in sharing all the issues
they are dealing with. It helps in a better decision making (Andersen, Kolmos and Stenager, E.,
2017). They should provide them some encouragement also from time to time. It helps them in
staying happy and encouraged towards their work. It however makes the whole atmosphere of
the hospital more happier and healthier. By these means, the care providers also consider that
they also act as an important role of the hospital which further helps in staying more focused at
their work. This however increases and improves the overall performance of the hospital
Change management theory
Lewin's change management theory:

The Highgate care homes can adapt Lewin's theory of change management which
involves three stages of change i.e. unfreeze, transition and freeze. Unfreeze is the stages in
which communication is a base of this stage. The organisation should train the staff of the
Highgate care homes to have a good communication with the dementia patients and other staff
members. The staff should communicate with other staff members by making a list of medicines
and precautions given to the patient so that another member can get the knowledge of further
treatments. Once the stage of communication is done, transition process should be undertaken to
endorse new ways of working and to adopt new values and technology for better treatment of
dementia patient. Supreme adaptability is essential in the planning and executing the change.
After the change has been successfully applied the organisation, care home is stable and the
merits of change is realised (Shibata, 2012).
Korter's change management theory:
Korter's change theory includes 8 steps:
Increase the urgency for the change: In this step generating a sight of urgency within the staff
to inspire them to adopt changes and achieve success in curing patient.
Build a team dedicated to change: This steps involve selecting an appropriate team to achieve
change in favour of dementia patient as well as care home.
Create the vision for change: This stage includes the change related to creating the vision that
involves emotional connection, creativities and goals to get right results of change.
Communicate the need for change: Communicating with staff members and patient is also an
essential part of this change management theory.
Empower staff with the ability to change: To empower the staff it is important to work on
getting a support, remove the obstacles and use the change in right direction.
Create short terms goals: Concentrating on short term objectives by imparting them into small
and easy to achieve ways so that they can be successful without any burden is the main motto of
this point.
Stay persistent: Don't give the goal or objective is core pillar of this model. Constancy is every
much needed to achieve the goal no matter how many obstacles comes in the path of changes.

Similarly, care home should be constant in their change management so that they can provide
better facilities to the patients.
Make the change permanent: It is necessary to adopt the change permanently and long-lasting
so that treatment of dementia patients can remains effective.
This change model can successfully implement in Highgate health care setting so that it
become easy in providing health care services (Faller, Hunt and Schaaf, 2016). Along with this,
it is important for the health care provider to understand the problem of patient with dementia
and treat him according to its nature. Objective can be set for making changes in adopting
sensory therapy practices.
Sometime staff member resist to change that are bought into health care setting and to
make sure that changes are implement in efficiently, it is important that proper consideration to
be made in which managers have proper leadership skills so that they will be able to take up
appropriate steps with the help of which the change can be implemented within care home
(Faller, Hunt and Schaaf, 2016).
It is important to understand the activities that are involved in providing sensory therapy
services. Further, assessing the impairment and intensity of the disease is another important
factor. Moreover, the objective will be to ensure that quality services are provided to the patients
that benefits to them in the best possible manner. The activities will be tailored as per the needs
and wishes of the individuals.
This is a type of issue due to which old people with dementia are not able to get desired
rate of services or treatment. There are different type of treatment that are delivered to patients
with dementia but sensory therapy is one of the most effective treatments that enable to make
sure that proper care and the rate of issue faced by patients can be reduced effectively and
efficiently (Kratz, Kerr and Porter, 2017). Therefore, it is important for Highgate care home to
adopt sensory therapy practice and encourage all service provider to use it at the time of
providing treatment.
Force Field Analysis
Lewin's force field analysis is the process that provide outline of the changes that are
adopted for the concern of the dementia patients. The theory is helpful for decision-making by