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Living with a mental illness such as Autism and Dementia can be extremely difficult for the patient and also for their family and friends around them, therefore it is so important to keep them calm and stimulated.
What can help?
The Protac Sensit Chair and Footstool has been specially designed to create calmness and to increase concentration and therefore stimulate.
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Children, adults and the elderly suffering from mental and physical restlessness can benefit from the chair that is full of weighted balls in the seat and back and in the special neck and side wings which can wrap around the body giving a sense of security – I suppose the sensation of having a cuddle. The chair strengthens the users sense of their own body and with each ball inside the chair stimulating the proprioceptive sense, but also being very comfortable to relax and sit on.
Why is it important for people with Autism, Dementia or a Mental Illness to keep stimulated and relaxed?
Agitated behaviour can cause difficulties when people are being cared for, disturbing those around them and distressing themselves and people who care for them. Agitation can be triggered by feelings of isolation or situations where the person does not feel comfortable.
Recreational activities can provide people with a chance to feel pleasure and therefore reduce agitation.
Agitation and Apathy are very common signs…
Monitoring the person’s behaviour is very important so that activities are put in place to relax and stimulate them before they become bored and restless. Also making sure the chosen activities are appropriate to the individual.
Care homes or those caring for people with Autism, Dementia or a mental illness generally use two kinds of recreational activity, both designed to maintain a high quality of life for the patient.:
- Therapeutic: these sessions usually led by a therapist or specialist and main purpose to help and improve people’s behaviours and abilities
- Every day or home-like activities: these being part of the persons daily routine to give a structure to their day and to provide entertainment or diversion.
Doctors and professors have encountered many years’ of research into this topic and it has been proven that therapeutic activities have a positive impact on behaviour and do make an overall difference on development.
Activities in the chair…
The Protac Sensit is of a suitable size and weight to be moved around into required environments.
For example it is very important for Dementia sufferers to have a sufficient amount of natural day light, so the chair can be positioned outside. Also enabling them to watch other ongoing activities in the garden and taking in the environment around them, stimulating the brain.
Many carers encourage users of the chair to complete a puzzle or read whilst sat on the chair, as they are more likely to achieve this with the relaxation of the senses encouraged by the chair.
Another perfect way to use the chair is positioning it in a sensory room, so the user feels at ease to take in the other sensory stimulation around them. You need to be careful here though that not too much is going on which could have an adverse effect and panic or frighten the user.
Rhino UK are a leading provider in Sensory Solutions and Therapeutic Resources. If you would like us to demonstrate the chair in your care home or establishment please get in touch.
It is as important to us as it is to you that we have the right solutions in place to try and help these people with Autism, Dementia or a Mental Illness.
CLICK TO BUY THE SENSIT CHAIR TODAY
By Alexandra Eardley, Marketing Coordinator for Rhino UK
