BAOT/COT Annual Conference 2009
Sensory Processing and Everyday Living – wellbeing and playful occupation in adult life
Kath Smith and Ros Urwin
Workshop 2 COT : 24th June 2009
The Abstract:
A sensory processing approach to intervention for adolescents, adults and older adults with learning disabilities and/or mental health problems. Recent advances in neuroscience support the application of the theory of Sensory Integration (S.I.), developed by Dr Jean Ayres, as a treatment approach with adult population.
Sensory Integration based therapies allows therapists to use their understanding of mind, body, brain to facilitate opportunities for clients to actively engage in enhanced opportunities to take in, process and respond to sensory experiences in order to promote both short and long term neurological changes necessary to enhance and promote function.
A combination of sensory integrative approaches and the Model of Human Occupation (MOHO, Kielhofner), allows the occupational therapist to capitalise on the knowledge base of SI and maximise opportunities for sensory engagement in everyday life.
The workshop will enable participants to explore environmental interventions and engagement strategies to promote and support self regulation for adolescents, adults and older adults with learning disabilities and/or mental health problems. The MOHO framework will be used to frame sensory integration theory and address sensory processing issues that may impact on a person’s ability to engage in meaningful occupations. The workshop will emerging treatment approaches.
The presentation will include feedback from service users; audit and evaluation of the intervention currently used in clinical settings in the South West – one to one therapy as well as outcomes from a group SI informed group Sensory Processing in Everyday Life group.
The Presenters:
Ros Urwin is Professional Lead Occupational Therapist for Dorset HealthCare NHS Foundation Trust and Head Occupational Therapist, Learning Disability Services covering the county of Dorset. Her clinical responsibilities cover adults and children with learning disabilities across facilities and teams in Dorset. Ros has worked in the field of learning disabilities for 20 years in Dorset and Southampton, with previous experience in mental health and a regional neuro-surgery and neuro-psychiatry service.
Kathryn Smith, a South African trained OT, working in Mental Health in Cornwall using Sensory Integration approaches with adults, adolescents, as well as the elderly. Kathryn is currently developing resources and materials for providing SI approaches in Mental Health.