The Role of Sound in Residential Facilities for People With Profound Intellectual and Multiple Disabilities

Abstract

Attention to the auditory environment of people with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PIMD) is limited, both in research and practice. As there is a dynamic interplay between the quality of the auditory environment and well‐being, a study was undertaken to test the validity of the theoretical framework regarding the role of sound in homes for people with PIMD. The framework was formulated using techniques from soundscape and emotion research and resulted in a taxonomy of auditory environments, or soundscapes, including an important role for audible safety. A convenience sample of 34 healthcare professionals from various organizational layers volunteered to participate in a focus group study. During this expert meeting their latent knowledge was examined to see if it corresponded to the proposed theoretical framework. The answers given by the participants were grouped in five categories, Influencing behavior, Atmosphere, Clarity, Structure, Safety, and Recognition, showing a strong consistency between the knowledge and experience of the professionals and the theoretical framework. Results suggest the participants working on a strategic level have a less comprehensive understanding of the role of sound in the daily care. The authors’ recommended the increase of awareness amongst the staff of organizations caring for people with PIMD of the role of sound in the environment so as to enhance psychological well‐being and quality of life and thus reduce the prevalence of behavioral problems.

Monitoring Sound Levels and Soundscape Quality in the Living Rooms of Nursing Homes: A Case Study in Flanders (Belgium)

“…There is also a lack of awareness of the importance of the "quality" of sound for the Quality of Life (QoL) in daily care. Van den Bosch et al [6] have indeed claimed for further research attention on the role of sound and its potential to reduce behavioural problems in such environments to enhance the quality of life of residents [6,7]. They have pointed out that this often depends on "pleasantness" and "safety" rather than "objective" sound levels.…”

“…BPSD are commonly understood as symptoms of disturbed perception, thought content, mood, and behaviour, which frequently occur in people with dementia. Although BPSD are considered as a characteristic of dementia, evidence suggests that environmental factors may trigger BPSD [6].…”

“…In particular, persons with dementia are vulnerable to environmental disturbance [6,7]. Dementia is an overall term that describes a wide range of symptoms associated with a decline in memory or other cognitive skills, severe enough to reduce a person's ability to perform everyday activities.…”

“…Given the fact that environmental factors, and specifically acoustics, impact BPSD [1,6,7], the AcustiCare project started in October 2016 with the aim of using the soundscape approach to enhance the everyday experience of nursing homes for both residents with dementia and staff members. For this purpose, five nursing homes in Flanders hosting people with dementia and BPSD were involved in the project.…”

A comparison of natural and non-natural soundscapes on people with severe or profound intellectual and multiple disabilities

“…This is supported by findings that indicate that pleasant auditory environments are often associated with natural sounds and unpleasant ones with mechanical or human-made sounds (Andringa & Lanser, 2013;Axelsson et al, 2010;Kaplan, 1995;Pheasant, Fisher, Watts, Whitaker, & Horoshenkov, 2010;Schafer, 1977). We believe this is due to the high redundancy of easily processed indications of audible safety in natural environments (van den Bosch, Andringa, Başkent, & Vlaskamp, 2016). Despite the strong relationship between soundscape quality and wellbeing, research on soundscapes within special needs care is limited.…”