Background
The Intensive Care and Rehabilitation of Consciousness Department is unique in Israel. The patients in this unit suffer from most severe brain injuries due to trauma or illness. Although they may move their limbs and sometimes open their eyes, showing the potential for recovery, they are unaware of themselves or of their environment, and do not respond voluntarily and purposefully to stimuli. They suffer from low communication with their surroundings. To encourage the regaining of consciousness, the department
offers special treatment providing a multisensory stimulation in a Snoezelen Room.
The Snoezelen Room is a unique facility located within the department, which contains a variety of stimuli for all senses, creating a multisensory environment for patients. Patients with sensory deficit as a result of prolonged impairment of consciousness are hypersensitive to touch, noise, smells, movement, visual stimulation, and more. The treatment provided by the occupational therapist is designed to balance and relax patients on one hand, and to stimulate their senses, on the other. The balance between relaxation and arousal helps the nervous system operate in an organized and regulated manner.
The Need
The Snoezelen Room at the hospital needs upgrading, which includes the addition of modern equipment not available to patients in the department today, and the refurbishing of the existing equipment.
The planned upgrade of the Snoezelen Room involves moving to a large and spacious hall. The Room will be redesigned with modern equipment; A high slow moving bubble column, illuminated with various colors and shades, with an interactive switch system that can be used by the patient to regulate and control the movement of the bubbles and their colors.
A Nirvana armchair, which includes a foot support with a vibration system and a timer to determine the vibration period. The chair provides sensory stimulation together with a sense of relaxation.
