CASE STUDY
A Relaxing Retreat
A soothing sensory room for residents at a senior care facility
Start My Sensory Space
The Background
Allaire Health was creating a new space for their facility and wanted to include a calming wellness space for their residents.
The Vision
The staff at Allaire envisioned a thoughtfully designed area where individuals could relax, decompress and take a break from daily activities in a comfortable, supportive atmosphere.
The Challenge
Designing a sensory space for an older population requires a delicate balance. Could the team design an inviting, sophisticated space that offered meaningful sensory engagement while avoiding a childlike feel?
BeforeAfter
BeforeAfter
The Process
Step 1: Choosing the Sensory Tools
Our skilled team chose a thoughtful mix of sensory tools to help create a calming environment that supports relaxation and emotional health.
Calming Lights & Textures
The Bubble Tube Trio features three bubble tubes with gentle streams of bubbles and soft light for soothing visual stimulation and a relaxing ambience. With its textured feel and sea of glowing lights, the Fiber Optic Wall Carpet beautifully complements the bubble tubes, adding both visual interest and tactile engagement.
Calming Lights & Textures
The Bubble Tube Trio features three bubble tubes with gentle streams of bubbles and soft light for soothing visual stimulation and a relaxing ambience. With its textured feel and sea of glowing lights, the Fiber Optic Wall Carpet beautifully complements the bubble tubes, adding both visual interest and tactile engagement.
Deep Pressure & Comfort
Residents who feel anxious or restless will appreciate the deep pressure input from the Weighted Log Roll, enabling them to feel more grounded and secure. They can also enjoy our At the Beach Weighted Sand Kit, featuring dry, moldable sand and beach-themed pieces that deliver soothing tactile stimulation and mess-free sensory exploration.
Deep Pressure & Comfort
Residents who feel anxious or restless will appreciate the deep pressure input from the Weighted Log Roll, enabling them to feel more grounded and secure. They can also enjoy our At the Beach Weighted Sand Kit, featuring dry, moldable sand and beach-themed pieces that deliver soothing tactile stimulation and mess-free sensory exploration.
Focus & Stress Relief
A variety of fidget and tactile tools, such as the Pushpeel® Fidget, Magnetic Puzzle Fidget, Bubble Pop Balls and Busy Fingers™ 3D Foldables, offer residents accessible ways to keep their hands engaged. These tools encourage easy movement and sensory exploration, which can reduce stress, improve focus and serve as a comforting outlet for nervous energy.
Focus & Stress Relief
A variety of fidget and tactile tools, such as the Pushpeel® Fidget, Magnetic Puzzle Fidget, Bubble Pop Balls and Busy Fingers™ 3D Foldables, offer residents accessible ways to keep their hands engaged. These tools encourage easy movement and sensory exploration, which can reduce stress, improve focus and serve as a comforting outlet for nervous energy.
Calm & Engagement
Interactive items like the Denim Marble Maze provide residents with a quiet, hands-on activity that promotes concentration and relaxation. The repetitive motion of guiding the marble through the maze can be especially soothing and satisfying. Together, these sensory tools bring comfort and gentle engagement into the space, giving residents opportunities to interact with their surroundings, reduce stress and experience soothing sensory input throughout the day.
Calm & Engagement
Interactive items like the Denim Marble Maze provide residents with a quiet, hands-on activity that promotes concentration and relaxation. The repetitive motion of guiding the marble through the maze can be especially soothing and satisfying. Together, these sensory tools bring comfort and gentle engagement into the space, giving residents opportunities to interact with their surroundings, reduce stress and experience soothing sensory input throughout the day.
Step 2: The Design Process
Inspired by the residents’ preference for nature, the design centered around a calming forest theme with deep greens, natural textures and soft lighting. A forest mural wall, plant wall and Spring LED Ceiling Lights were incorporated to evoke the peaceful feeling of being outdoors.
Comfortable seating and thoughtfully placed sensory elements, including bubble tubes and visual features, were arranged to encourage both relaxation and gentle engagement, creating a restorative space where residents can unwind.
The End Result
This is your quote text.
- Michelle Howlett, assistant principal of Washington Elementary School
The final result strikes the perfect balance! The room is suited for this population and still provides meaningful sensory stimulation. Combining nature-inspired design with thoughtfully chosen sensory features, the room feels engaging without appearing childlike, resulting in a sophisticated, yet welcoming space for relaxation and comfort.
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