Caregivers Corner � Sept - Oct 2003
A Place to Relax and Reflect

Residents and Staff at Hampden House in Springfield, MA Create a "Celestial Haven" Based on the Concept of "Snoezelen"

Walking into the new Celestial Haven room at Hampden House in Springfield, Massachusetts one feels instantly relaxed and calm. The stressors of the day ebb from the body and mind, leaving a comforting feeling of peacefulness in their place.  Fiber optic lights softly pulse purple and blue lights across the ceiling, which is swathed in dark gauze and glow-in-the-dark stars. A table-top fountain gurgles water across its smooth rocks. The furniture is covered in soft fabrics and handmade pillows. The scent of lavender fills the air. The sounds of ocean waves and sea birds float across the room. It is here that elders living in Hampden House, a 152-bed residential care community come to relax and rejuvenate.

Hampden�s Celestial Haven is the result of the efforts of Tina Fareti, Community Life Coordinator, her assistant, Sandra Riggio, and a handful of staff and residents that became excited about the idea after hearing about the Snoezelen concept during an Institute for Caregiver Education training class. Snoezelen is a contraction of the Dutch words "snuffelen" meaning to �seek out� or �explore� and "doezelen" to �relax.� The philosophy was developed by two Dutch therapists in the 1970s, Jan Hulsegge and Ad Verheul, and was created with the intent of de-escalating agitated behaviors in young people with disabilities.

Eldercare practitioners in Europe soon discovered that the philosophy had a positive effect on individuals with Alzheimer�s, and so began incorporating it into the physical environment in their communities. Only recently has the Snoezelen concept emerged on the long-term care scene in the United States.

Initially, the goal of introducing the Snoezelen concept to the five AGE Holdings homes in Massachusetts was to have them consider adding the philosophy into their care delivery for elders with dementia-related illness. A demonstration project was held in the Spring, wherein an Institute educator and the five AGE Community Life Coordinators set up a mock Snoezelen room to try out the concept and introduce it to the management staff from the five homes.  Since the cost of installing a true Snoezelen room can run as much as $15,000, the project demonstrated that a similar environment could be constructed for as little at $200.

Following the successful demonstration project, two of the AGE homes, Hampden House in Springfield and Governor�s Center in Westfield undertook the development of their own rooms. To date, both rooms are completely functional and great results are being seen among the elders that visit the rooms on a regular basis. In the future, the Institute for Caregiver Education intends to create a research project, measuring clinical outcomes for residents diagnosed with dementia-related illness. Early indicators from both rooms point to a lessening in elders� agitated behaviors, easier time falling asleep and less active time up in the middle of the night.

At Hampden House, an unexpected positive outcome has been how much the staff has appreciated the room. For those staff members wanting to steal away for a few moments of solitude and reflection, Celestial Haven has truly been a blessing. The room has also caused quite a stir with prospective residents and their families who come to tour. They see it as an added benefit that doesn�t exist in most other long-term care communities in the area.