Evaluating the effectiveness of Snoezelen on women who have a dementing illness

This paper reports on a study using a single case study design with four women who were in the moderate to severe stages of dementia. The aims of the study were (i) to explore the effectiveness of Snoezelen on women who have a dementing illness and to ascertain the short-term effectiveness after treatment has ceased and (ii) to explore how older women with a dementing illness responded to individual pieces of equipment in the room. The four women were involved in Snoezelen sessions twice a week for a period of 4 weeks. Observations were made of mood/behavior using the Interact and Interact short rating scales by Baker & Dowling (1995). A Likert scale of measurement was applied to each item on the rating scales ranging from 5 'nearly all the time' to 1 'not at all' to produce quantitative data. The four women's responses to equipment were recorded during each Snoezelen session and a Likert scale of measurement was applied to each piece of equipment ranging from +3 'strong positive' to -3 'strong negative' to produce quantitative data. Detailed accounts of the four women's verbal responses were recorded to produce qualitative data and were thematically analysed. All data collected was recorded in the form of line graphs. It was concluded that there was an overall positive mood/behavior change lasting 30 minutes after the end of the Snoezelen session for all patients. However, the benefits of 'before', 'during' and 'after' Snoezelen sessions showed no increase over the 8 sessions indicating that the benefits of the Snoezelen sessions were not long-term. In terms of 'response to equipment' this was generally a positive experience. It is concluded that the results of this study support the notion that Snoezelen environments offer a valuable adjunct to the care of older people with a dementing illness.