An explorative study of the function of a multisensory environment

Abstract

Multisensory environments have increasingly been used in establishments for clients with learning disabilities and more recently in the care of confused, elderly people. While some therapists advocate the use of multisensory environments for relaxation, others feel that these expensive facilities should be used for the development of skills (Chia et al, 1996). Despite being a widely accepted activity for clients with learning disabilities, there is a dearth of literature on the subject, coupled with little documentation on its efficacy (Mount and Cavet, 1995). Much of what therapists practice continues to be based to some extent on conjecture and anecdotal evidence and this is particularly true of the use of multisensory environments. This causes some difficulty for therapists as there is an increased demand from clients, purchasers and professionals for therapists to be accountable for the outcomes of therapeutic strategies that they use in service delivery.