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This week (Wednesday 23rd and Thursday 24th November) Experia will be travelling to the OT Show in Birmingham - the UK's largest dedicated event just for occupational therapists.
We will be teaming up with renowned occupational therapists Sheena Hardwick and Maxine Bell from Sherwood Therapy Services to provide a series of three CPD-accredited seminars running each day during the show.
Here Sheena provides a taste of what to expect from the second seminar: Assessing the person to create the right sensory environment.
“When setting up a sensory room, it’s important that you think about the sensory experiences from the viewpoint of the person you are working with. Often this involves taking a step back and planning activity well before you actually get to the sensory room.
“With sufficient planning you will be able to create an environment that allows you to achieve what you want from the process. When you start your session, go slowly and introduce new sensations one at a time and observe the person’s reactions.
“To help you to plan and prepare the best sensory sessions possible, I’ve created a checklist to match observed behaviour to the right sensory equipment.
“The full ten point checklist will be available at the seminar which is taking place at 1.30pm on Wednesday and Thursday.”
| Observed behaviour | Creating a sensory environment |
| Always on the go/fidgeting/not staying still | Make sure you include movement within your session. Do not expect the person to sit still. Think about a range of seating and standing tasks that demand movement |
| Likes to bang, push, climb, rough and tumble/looks very clumsy/ poorly co-ordinated | Make sure that you include physical work that requires exertion in your session. Ensure they are engaging their muscles in activities i.e. pushing, pulling, moving, lifting |
| Orientated to certain sounds, e.g. music | Include vibration as well as the music |
| Dislikes certain sounds/ cannot focus on what you are saying/ easily distracted by noise | Avoid additional sounds. Think about your own voice, including the noise from your clothes and shoes. Think about the noise outside the room at certain times of the day and avoid the noisiest times. |
| Loves fast, action packed, colourful images | Use mirror ball, lights, and moving images |
Since qualifying in 1993, occupational therapist Sheena has specialised in complex disability, working in the UK and USA within the NHS, social services, education and in private practice. Sheena has primarily worked with children and young adults and is an expert on sensory integration therapy.
The CPD accredited seminar is taking place on-board Experia's Sensory Bus at the OT Show 2016 and is scheduled for:
Wednesday 23rd November @ 13:30 (30 mins)
Thursday 24th November @ 13:30 (30 mins)
To book your seat on Experia's CPD Accredited Seminars speak to Jan Wdowczyk, Marketing Manager at Experia on 0800 612 6077 or send an email to [email protected]
The Experia Team
