Multi-Sensory Stimulation in 24-hour Dementia Care - Nivel

Research questions of the intervention study
The effectiveness of snoezelen as a care model, integrated in 24-h dementia care, has
never been studied before. This paragraph describes the study’s research questions
and objectives.
Research question 1
1. 'How is the implementation of snoezelen evaluated by caregivers in psychogeriatric
care?'
1a. 'What factors facilitate or hinder the implementation of snoezelen in the
experimental wards in the eyes of the caregivers?'
1b. 'Do caregivers experience positive changes at the level of caregivers, residents
and the organisation, as a result of the implementation of snoezelen in 24-h
care?'
Many intervention studies lack an investigation of the extent to which the
intervention was implemented as intended, which makes outcome measures difficult
to interpret. Therefore, the first objective of our intervention study was to evaluate
the implementation process of snoezelen on the experimental wards and to identify
facilitating and hindering factors. Other health care institutions might take
advantage of these findings when they intend to implement the snoezelen care model.
Research question 2
2a. ‘What are the effects of the integration of snoezelen in 24-h care on the
actual verbal and non-verbal communication of CNAs during morning
care?’
2b. ‘What are the effects of the integration of snoezelen in 24-h care on the
actual verbal and non-verbal communication of demented nursing home
residents during morning care?’
The second aim of the intervention study was to examine the effects of the
implementation of snoezelen on the non-verbal and verbal communication of CNAs
and residents during morning care. In particular, it was hypothesized that the
intervention would lead to the following measurable changes:
an increase of rapport-building non-verbal communication of both CNAs and
residents (e.g., gazing, affective touch, smiling);
an increase of the affective or socio-emotional verbal communication of CNAs
that is needed to establish a trusting relationship (e.g., showing empathy, social
talk, validation);
a decrease of negative affective verbal communication of both CNAs and
residents (e.g., showing disapproval or anger);
Introduction 19