Multisensory Stimulation Intervention for elderly people with dementia: pilot study

• Grant number: 22/06208-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: September 01, 2022
• End date: August 31, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Interdisciplinary Subjects
• Principal Investigator: Marcia Maria Pires Camargo Novelli
• Grantee: Gabriella Pereira Pilon
• Host Institution: Instituto de Saúde e Sociedade (ISS). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus Baixada Santista. Santos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Introduction:Multisensory Stimulation Interventions (EMS) are actions that stimulate the senses such as vision, hearing, touch, taste, smell, vestibular and proprioceptive systems. EMS interventions for people with dementia syndromes can offer stimuli that facilitate sensory modulation and capitalize on the residual sensorimotor skills of these individuals. There are still few studies that point out the benefits of EMS Interventions in elderly people with dementia living in the Brazilian community. Objective: To evaluate the benefits of an EMS Intervention proposal based on the principles of Snoezelen aimed at elderly people with dementia syndromes. Materials and Methods: The EMS Intervention will be developed in 12 individual sessions, lasting 45 minutes, with a weekly frequency. Sensory perceptions such as vision, hearing, touch, taste, smell and proprioception will be stimulated and will be applied to 10 elderly people with dementia syndrome, considering that it is a pilot study. The study will be carried out at the Dementia Care Service (SADE) of Baixada Santista campus of the Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP). The benefits of the EMS Intervention will be evaluated by objective measures (vital signs (blood pressure and heart rate) and changes in behavior and by subjective measures of perception of the benefits of EMS that will be applied before and after the intervention. Descriptive analysis of these evaluations will be performed. and comparative analysis considering pre- and post-intervention and the size of the intervention's effect.