Walk Through the Seasons with Sensory Scenes

Sensory Scenes invite you to fill the air with the wonderful sounds and scents of the seaside, garden, forest and rainy days. The powerful combination of sound and aroma will transport people to a soothing and calming space among nature.

People can use Sensory Scenes at all stages of their dementia journey. However, they’re especially beneficial to those in the reflex stage and best enjoyed in a private room, one on one.

You will need

1. Sensory Spray
2. Sensory CD

The Activity

1. Choose a room free of strong smells, with no or very little background noise
2. If the person can’t choose which scent and sound they would like, pick ones that would suit the person’s interests and likes. For example, if they loved gardening, the Garden Days spray and sounds would be ideal
3. Once the person is settled and comfortable, explain that you are going to spray a scent into the room. Spray it just twice to begin with, as you can spray more as the session goes on
4. Give the scent a little time to settle in the room, so the person can engage with it before the sounds begin
5. Play the CD with the sounds that complement the aroma
6. Adjust the sound to the person’s needs
7. Spray two more bursts of scent into the air
8. Let the person relax and soak up the sounds and scent
9. Give the person some time to indulge in any memories triggered by the scents and sounds. Stay with them and perhaps even massage their hands gently to further enhance the calming and reassuring atmosphere

Top tip

Why not introduce some flowers once you’ve finished? Looking, smelling and feeling the petals and buds will be a lovely sensory ending to the session