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The Experience Station is an innovative enrichment interactive that engages people with mid-to-late stage dementia. Akin to a mini 4D theater, it gives residents a social, soothing, or stimulating experience via special effects, sensory materials, and specialized content.

The Station is unique in that it provides:

  • An ability for staff to manage or shape behavior towards more positive outcomes

  • Novel, layered, pleasurable, and social engagement

  • A mental respite for family members who struggle with the decision to bring their loved one to a facility

  • Very positive: 33%

  • Positive: 62%

  • Neutral: 14%

  • Negative: 2%

Out of 194 sessions and counting:

How are residents responding?

“Wow, that was really interesting, who would have thought of it? It's beautiful, like an artist, it's amazing.”

Upon arrival, the resident seemed shut down and sleepy. Became alert and actively participated, with enthusiasm. Expressed enjoyment with laughter.

– Observation notes

“This is the first time anyone has showed me this… that was beautiful, this was wonderful.”

What do staff think?

The Memory Care Experience Station is vital for our residents, families, and staff. It serves as a therapeutic tool, providing connections that enhance well-being. Our team uses it to empower residents and bring joy during challenging times, leading to remarkable transformations. Families can also use it, further enriching their connection with loved ones.

— Illona Root-Chang, Manager of Life Enrichment, San Francisco Campus for Jewish Living

FAQ

  • The Experience Station can be tailored to your site. Contact us to learn more.

  • We use rich video, sound, airflow, rumble, scent, and tactile components.

  • Some of our best content is customized to soothe or stimulate. While we build out our content library, adding personalized content that can be paired with props and effects is also impactful.

  • We can provide a custom cabinet with QR codes to make replacing supplies easy.

  • You’re seeing Generation 1, which is on the path to more placements, and a 2nd generation.

  • For people living with mid-to-late-stage dementias, we’ve found that immersive content, whether to stimulate or soothe, provides the most positive outcome. Of course, video communication is a feature that can be added.

  • VR is an exciting arena! Our device gives residents a richer, multisensory, tactile, and most importantly, social experience that is safe, and adaptable to their cognitive state.

Generation 1 is installed at the San Francisco Campus for Jewish Living, Memory Care Lounge.

Awards & Recognition

  • The Station was a finalist in Fast Company’s 2022 World Changing Ideas Awards which are focused on social good, seeking to elevate finished products and brave concepts that make the world better.

  • The foundation created an honorable mention category for us for their Innovation Award. It recognizes organizations that have embraced the principles of human-centered design.

  • Finalist in the Innovation Showcase, which recognizes ideas that include evidenced-informed technologies, new approaches to caregiving, life enrichment approaches, enhanced safety and security, and improving quality of life for older adults.

  • To learn about creating these types of experiences, we were invited to publish “Designing for People Living with Dementia: Multisensory Immersion.”