Information Overcoming sensory differences at Southview
For many autistic people, processing everyday sensory information can be challenging, often creating additional barriers for them to overcome.
Sensory differences play a vital role in someone’s health and happiness throughout their life. Autism often affects social interaction, communication and behaviour. When faced with sensory stimulations, an autistic person will often have a reduced response to lights, sounds, and textures.
Including sensory activities as part of someone’s support empowers their overall development and response to a range of different stimulations. For autistic people, these activities help them gain confidence in a safe environment and, overtime, they can respond differently and more positively.
One of our specialist autism services, Southview, have recently created a new sensory room, as well as using other various sensory items around the home for the people we support. We caught up with Service Manager, Charlotte Louise Hill, to find out more.
What sensory differences do you support individuals with at Southview?
When we support individuals with autism there’s always a range of sensory differences we’re faced with. Here at Southview, some of the people we support struggle with loud noises. But there are other individuals who are the complete opposite and are comfortable creating noise for stimulation.
This can be difficult to balance at times, so we’ve had to work together to create an environment that suits all. We are lucky that many of the people we support have lived with each other for a long time. They’ve built relationships with each other and recognise their peers’ sensory differences.
With the people we support in mind, we adapted an area of the home and called it the reading room. We moved bookshelves into there and individuals use the space to read books with their support team or simply take themselves in there for some piece and quiet.
Beforehand, they would often go to their bedrooms, whereas the reading room puts them more in the heart of the home. The lounge area can become quite noisy at times, so having this extra room really benefits everyone’s wellbeing.
There was also a separate room which contained a TV, sofa, and a chair, which was always referred to as a sensory room. After chatting with the rest of the team, we agreed to totally transform the room to deliver a new sense of sensory joy.
We worked closely with the people we support to ensure sensory items which were personal to them were purchased in time for the grand opening. We decorated the room with refreshing new colours and added in each sensory item.
This was an exciting time for everyone, and the grand opening of the new sensory room was just around the corner!
How did you celebrate the occasion?
Once the sensory room was ready, we couldn’t open it without marking the occasion!
We got some red carpet and put up some ribbon to celebrate. When the time arrived to officially open the new sensory room, we helped the people we support cut the ribbon and they couldn’t contain their excitement.
They all love lights, so we ensured there was a selection of different lights in the room alongside their personal items. The room also contained bubble tubes which the people we support took too following a party they attended. We also have a TV which is used to play music videos, and an ‘Alexa’ device where everyone chooses their favourite songs.
It was so heart-warming to see each person have something in the room that was special to them.
Seeing them have so much fun, while using the sensory equipment to help them develop, really confirms why we love what we do at Southview.
What benefits has the sensory room brought to the people we support?
The new sensory room has totally transformed how everyone uses the home. Before we developed the space, individuals would choose their bedrooms for peace and quiet. But this isolated them to a certain degree.
The people we support now use different areas of the home and enjoy spending time in the reading room too.
Some of the most noticeable changes are how everyone’s social interactions have come on. They’re spending lots of time with each other in the sensory room, and that’s encourages them to socialise more regularly and helped them gain confidence.
We’ve also seen behaviours improve. One of the biggest achievements is how they’re finding it easier to share spaces. Before, it was challenging for them to share areas of the home when multiple people were together. Since we’ve had the sensory room, everyone is recognising it as a space for the whole household. This has transformed how they share other areas of the home too.
It’s lovely to see them all enjoying the sensory room and building better relationships with each other.
How do you manage the risk of sensory overload?
We’ve found that balance and sharing the space is the key to reducing the risk of sensory overload.
By sharing the space, we see less people overwhelmed through sensory overload since they aren’t spending large amounts of time on one activity. They’re keen to see their housemates use all the activities, so they move around to different sensory stations.
Also, through our person-centred approach, we’ve got to know the people we support as unique individuals. Gaining this knowledge enables us to identify when a person is experiencing sensory overload, through their behaviour and emotions. If this happens, we’ll work with the individual to find a new activity they’re more comfortable with.
Are there any plans to further develop the sensory room?
Across the next few months, we’re aiming to give the sensory room a face lift. We have an arts and crafts storage unit that we’d like to move into the sensory room. We’re excited to give it new life, with a good sand down and a new lick of paint – something the people we support can get involved with.
We’re also looking to update the furniture, and we’ll work closely with the people we support to learn what new sensory items they’d like as their needs change.
We’re looking forward to continuing this journey with the people we support, introducing them to new sensory stimulations, and supporting them to achieve the goals they set!
Find out more
To find out more about our specialist autism support, fill out our simple form and a member of our friendly team will be in touch!
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