Soundscape design for management of behavioral disorders: a pilot study among nursing home residents with dementia

For nursing home residents with dementia, the decrease in communication skills and in social interactions might lead to an increased isolation and can result in a higher risk of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD). In the framework of the AcustiCare project, five nursing homes in Flanders (Belgium) are participating in the development and testing of specifically designed soundscapes aiming to improve the quality of care and reduce BPSD in residents. Co-creation sessions with staff and family members were organized in the participating nursing homes to manage the acoustic environments that residents will likely be exposed to in their bedrooms and living rooms. The sessions resulted in a 24-hour schedule with alternation of existing sounds, added sounds and silence, which was then delivered in both bedrooms and living rooms with the help of active systems. The sounds were purposively selected to promote the enhancement of safety. This study presents the progress of a pilot experiment with this purpose.