Alzheimer Patients and the Snoezelen Program - Full Text View

Sponsored by:	Queen's University
Information provided by:	Queen's University
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:	NCT00548951

Purpose

To determine the connection between Social Withdrawal and Sensory Deprivation in elderly clients with Alzheimer's Type Dementia (i.e. how providing sensory stimulation might reduce social withdrawal).

Condition	Intervention	Phase
Dementia	Other: Snoezelen Room Other: Control	Phase I

Genetics Home Reference related topics: Alzheimer disease

MedlinePlus related topics: Alzheimer's Disease Dementia

U.S. FDA Resources

Study Type:	Interventional
Study Design:	Treatment, Randomized, Open Label, Historical Control, Parallel Assignment, Efficacy Study
Official Title:	The Connection Between Sensory Deprivation and Social Withdrawal in Clients of a Long Term Care Facility Living With Alzheimer's Disease and the Effects of a Snoezelen Program.

Further study details as provided by Queen's University:

Primary Outcome Measures:

To evaluate improvement of the residents who are given Snoezelen sessions. [ Time Frame: 12 weeks ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

Enrollment:	18
Study Start Date:	September 2005
Study Completion Date:	December 2006
Primary Completion Date:	December 2006 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)

Arms	Assigned Interventions
1: Active Comparator Subject receives Snoezelen sessions once per week.	Other: Snoezelen Room Session in a Snoezelen room once per week for 12 weeks
2: Active Comparator Subject receives Snoezelen sessions three times per week.	Other: Snoezelen Room Session in a Snoezelen room three times per week for 12 weeks
3 Subject receives no sessions per week.	Other: Control Receive no sessions in a Snoezelen Room.

Detailed Description:

The Snoezelen concept or program was originally thought up in Holland and comes from two Dutch words meaning to "sniff and doze". It was first introduced in the Netherlands in the 1970's. The first room was introduced in Snoezelen examines how a group of people react to an area that is private, relaxed and one that they trust. This program will bring out one's sense of taste, touch, smell, sight and hearing just by being in a specially designed room. Trust and relaxation will be looked at by those people with developmental disabilities (those that learn at a slower rate). Snoezelen originated with the belief that everyone needs nerve pulses (senses).

Inside a Snoezelen room you will find, dimmed lights, a relaxed atmosphere and pleasant surroundings, soothing sounds, intriguing aromas, tasty puddings, candies, interesting light effects (fiber optic light spray), comfortable seating, opportunities for interaction and engagement, sense of control over environment, tactile objects (awareness box), bubble tube, solar projector wheel, water fountain, massage pillow, massage tube, tranquility and solitude. The Snoezelen room is an environment in which the primary senses (see, hear, taste, touch) are stimulated all to create an environment that is both relaxing and stimulating. The benefits of Snoezelen change per person but may include some of the following:

Increased resident and caregiver communication
Increased awareness and understanding of the environment

The Snoezelen idea: client-controlled, safe comfortable atmosphere and freedom from pressure.

Sensory Deprivation (loss) The average person touches 300 different surfaces every 30 minutes. The average person with a profound disability will likely touch 1-5 surfaces in the same time frame.

Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:	65 Years and older
Genders Eligible for Study:	Both
Accepts Healthy Volunteers:	Yes

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

Residents living at Rideaucrest Home (Long Term Care Facility in Kingston, Ontario);
Residents having a Mini Mental State Exam with a score of 15 to 27 reflecting mild to moderate dementia;
Male or female over 65 years of age;
Resident who are able to leave the terrace;
Resident who are not actively participating in Life Enrichment Programs;
Able to provide informed written and signed consent by resident or substitute decision maker.

Exclusion Criteria:

Suffering from severe life threatening illness with a reasonable expectation of death within the next six month;
Severe mental disorder in the opinion of the investigator (i.e. bipolar, schizophrenia);
No recent change in medication(s) during the past four weeks prior to the project;
Other non-Alzheimer-Type Dementia;
Residents who suffer from Epilepsy.

Contacts and Locations

Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00548951

Locations

Canada, Ontario
Rideaucrest Home
Kingston, Ontario, Canada, K7K 3H6

Sponsors and Collaborators

Queen's University

Investigators

Principal Investigator:

Roumen V. Milev, MD

Queen's University

More Information

Responsible Party:	Queen's University ( Dr. Roumen V. Milev )
Study ID Numbers:	PSIY-205-05
Study First Received:	September 12, 2005
Last Updated:	August 19, 2008
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:	NCT00548951
Health Authority:	Canada: Health Canada

Keywords provided by Queen's University:

Dementia

Study placed in the following topic categories:

Delirium, Dementia, Amnestic, Cognitive Disorders
Mental Disorders
Alzheimer Disease
Central Nervous System Diseases

Brain Diseases
Dementia
Cognition Disorders
Delirium

Additional relevant MeSH terms:

Nervous System Diseases

ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on January 15, 2009