Christopher Douglas Hidden Angel Foundation

Multi Sensory Environments, Sensory Stimulation

“There are no guarantees in life, except that everyone faces struggles. This is how we learn (and grow). Some face struggles from the moment they are born. They are the most special of all people, requiring the most care and compassion and reminding us that love is the sole purpose of life.”– Elisabeth Kübler-Ross
These are our Hidden Angels – teaching all of us life’s most valuable lessons.

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Allegany Arc Opens MSE Room

May 09, 2013 – Allegany Arc is proud to announce the addition of a Multisensory room to its day-habilitation program. They recently held a ribbon cutting ceremony/opening reception to celebrate this achievement.

The Multi Sensory Environment (MSE) can stimulate or relax people through the use of touch, sound, vibration, color and/or light – effective in reducing stress and improving concentration, eye-hand coordination and motor function for individuals with special needs, developmental disabilities, mental illness, post-traumatic stress disorder, autism, chronic pain, stroke, brain injuries, dementia and other conditions.

MSEs are designed to promote neurological activity and to encourage relaxation. A MSE is a dedicated space or room where sensory stimulation can be controlled (intensified or reduced), presented in isolation or combination, packaged for active or passive interactions, and matched to fit the perceived motivation, interests, and/or educational needs of the user.

In the room, Day Hab staff will teach/assist the program’s participants with sensory techniques to assist them to modulate to their level of arousal enhancing their ability to improve functional life tasks and enhancing their quality of life. The multi-sensory experience or stimulation of senses through the design provides tactile awareness, vestibular and proprioceptive motor planning, and visual and auditory stimulation. For example, an individual exhibiting oral motor or sensory issues would require the integration of the tactile and proprioceptive senses to be able to execute the various sounds required for speech production. Another example would be an individual diagnosed with severe Cerebral Palsy having tight contracted muscles. Individuals with contracted muscles relax during multi-sensory experiences which therapeutically increase range of motion.

Erin Baldwin, Allegany Arc’s Speech and Language Pathologist, said of this room, “this will stimulate all of the senses to organize an individual’s brain and improve functional activity. A basic human need essential for life and survival is sensory stimulation – this room provides just that.”

Michelle Parris, Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant, added, “We have been working diligently to implement a sensory environment that will assist in stimulating all of the senses for the majority of individuals we serve. We are so excited to finally have what we need in the multisensory room.”

Allegany Arc received grants from The Christopher Douglas Hidden Angel Foundation whose mission is to enrich the lives, health, and social well-being of people who are neurologically challenged through the use of multi sensory stimulation. They also received grants from Thomas F. & Laura L. Moogan Family Foundation Ltd. and Allegany County Area Foundation.

Allegany Arc is incredibly thankful for these agencies to assist in bringing such a necessary room to our agency.

The simple pleasures and joys that children experience running, playing and enjoying a sunny day are sometimes not available for children with special needs. Due to limitations, they don’t experience or are unable to interact with their surroundings, limiting their sensory experiences.
Multi-sensory stimulation is as necessary for survival as food and water. Isn’t it our responsibility to help every child feel included and offer them an environment where they can experience simple joys in life?

Help us, help them!
About CDHAF

Inside a Multi-Sensory Room

PBS Special - The Hidden Angel

Christopher Douglas Hidden Angel Foundation

The Christopher Douglas Hidden Angel Foundation (CDHAF) was created in honor and recognition of Christopher Douglas Fornes and Joyce Baye. CDHAF enriches the lives, health, and social well-being of people with cognitive, emotional, and physical challenges through the use of our Multi Sensory Environments™ (MSE). Our focus is on the design, development, implementation and education of our Multi Sensory Environments™ with the aim to enable productivity, inclusion, independence, and self-determination. Our approach is based on well-documented studies of neurological cognition and emotional development. We offer advisory and financial support for the establishment of integrated, publicly accessible Multi Sensory facilities and for basic research and … Continue Reading

 
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Christopher Douglas Hidden Angel Foundation
P.O. Box 977
Gadsden, AL  35902
phone: 205-313-9168
info@cdhaf.org

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