As people age, it is common for changes to occur in their physical and mental health. Among the most common changes is thedecrease in sensory capacity. This can affect their quality of life and their ability to interact with the world around them. It is important to keep in mind that stimulation of the senses in older people can have positive effects on their physical and emotional well-being.
Through sensory stimulation, you can improve your quality of life and foster your independence. In this sense, there are different strategies and techniques that can be applied to stimulate the senses of older people. From occupational therapies to recreational activities and animal therapies for older people, there are a wide range of options that can help promote sensory stimulation in older people. This article will explore some of these techniques and their impact on the daily lives of older people.
Sensory stimulation for older adults
Sensory stimulation is a technique that can help toimprove the quality of life of older people. In this sense, there are various activities that can be applied to promote sensory stimulation in older adults and encourage their independence. Below, we show you the 4 types of sensory stimulation activities that can be done with older people.
1. Occupational therapy
Occupational therapy is a technique that seeks to promote independence in the daily activities of older adults. This technique can be applied to people who have mobility problems or decreased sensory capacity. occupational therapy may include exercises for people with limited mobility. mobility, as well as techniques for sensory stimulation.
2. Recreational activities
Recreational activities are an excellent option to stimulate the senses of older adults. These may include board games, memory exercises and music. These activities can help improve concentration, memory, and creativity in older adults. This will cause elderly people to have active aging.
3. Animal therapy
Animal therapy is a technique that uses the presence of animals to promote relaxation and sensory stimulation in older people. Dogs and cats are the animals most used in this technique. This therapy can help improve the quality of life of older adults,reduce stress and promote communication. Sensitive stimulation for older adults is perfect fordeveloping new skills and not forgetting the ones you already have.
4. Arts and crafts
The creation of art and crafts for older peoples is an excellent option tostimulate the senses of elderly people. In fact, there are studies where the cognitive stimulation for older adults is important because it can contribute to diseases such as dementia or Alzheimer’s not developing quickly in the early stages.
Practical cases to promote stimulation in older people
Cognitive stimulation is essential for older people, as it helps them keep their minds active and prevent cognitive diseases such as dementia. Below are three practical cases to promote stimulation in older people.
Memory games
The memory games are an excellent way tostimulate the minds of older people. For example, cards with images can be used so that the older adult tries to remember the position of each image and thus form pairs. Word games, such as Scrabble, can also be used so that older adults can exercise their ability to think in different terms and words.
Craft activities
Craft activities can be very beneficial for older people. These activities help them improve their coordination and manual dexterity, in addition to stimulating their creativity. You can do simple crafts, such as card making, knitting, or even painting or drawing.
Book reading and discussion
Reading and discussing books are an excellent way to stimulate the minds of older people and encourage their critical thinking. For example, you can read books on topics of interest to older adults, such as history, culture, the biography of notable people, etc. Then, discussion and debate of the topics addressed in the book can be encouraged, which will also help keep the older adult socially active.
It is important to note that these activities must beadapted to the abilities and needs of each older person. For example, memory games can be played with larger images for people with visual problems, or books with a larger font can be chosen for people with reading problems.
Sensory perception and stimulation: where do the stimuli enter us?
Thesensory channelsare pathways of perception through which we receive information about the world around us. The five main sensory channels in humans are:
- Vision: This channel allows us to perceive the world through light and color. The eyes capture light and convert it into signals that the brain interprets as images.
- Hearing: The ear canal allows us to perceive sounds and vibrations in the environment. The ear converts sound waves into electrical signals that the brain interprets as sounds.
- Smell: The sense of smell allows us to detect odors and fragrances in the environment. Airborne molecules enter the nose and are detected by olfactory receptors in the nasal tissue.
- Taste: The sense of taste allows us to perceive flavors. Taste receptors in the tongue and mouth detect different chemicals that provide information about taste, such as sweet, salty, bitter, sour, and umami.
- Touch: The sense of touch allows us to perceive physical contact and pressure. Tactile receptors in the skin tell us about the texture, temperature and pressure of the objects we touch.
In addition to these five main channels, there are other less known but equally important sensory channels, such as the sense of balance (vestibular) and proprioception, which allows us to be aware of the position and movement of our body. These channels work together to provide us with a complete and rich perception of our environment and ourselves.
Conclusion
If you have an elderly person at home, it may be a good idea to try to stimulate their senses with these types of activities. Well you can organize them at home with the help of a professional or you can look for this type of workshops in your area, since there is currently a lot of demand for this type of activities due to the positive contributions it offers for older people.
