In the 1970s, the Dutch began to develop special multisensory facilities for persons with intellectual disabilities. They called them Snoezelen after the Dutch words “snuffeln” (to explore) and “doezelen” (to relax). Today, the method has spread worldwide and is known as multisensory therapy. Multisensory therapy aims to improve clients’ quality of life by achieving a balance between stimulating experiences and relaxation through pleasant sensory experiences received through different sensory channels.
The first National Multisensory Network Day was organised in cooperation between the Helsinki Social Services Department and Kehitysvammaliitto (Finnish Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities) in Killinmäki in March 2001. Since then, the event has been organised annually in different parts of Finland. Networking is at the heart of the event. Participants also share recent research results on multisensory work and valuable practical tips.
The target group of the event is mainly personnel working with people with disabilities, but multisensory work is also useful in many other sectors, such as child welfare, working with seniors and mental health work. The event is intended for anyone interested in multisensory work: employees of municipalities and organisations, as well as clients.
The day featured various presentations on different topics: animal-assisted rehabilitation therapy, aromatherapy, clowns in disability work and musical activities. Piritta Heiskanen from Eteva shared her experiences on art diary -method, which draws inspiration from nature and provides workshop participants with the opportunity to try different art techniques.
One of this year’s highlights was an introduction to singing bowl relaxation by music therapist Tanja Pyy. Nazish Ghaffar, an instructor for the City of Vantaa’s disability services, was intrigued by the therapy method. “It feels like a breath of fresh air to be able to meet other experts face-to-face and get to immerse yourself in the different themes of this event”, she says.
This year, Sofianlehto Activity Centre had the lead in the arrangements. The City of Helsinki’s day activities for persons with intellectual disabilities have been a precursor to multisensory work. The activity centre employs a multiprofessional team that organises individual experiential sessions and group activities for their clients. “We all feel happy about how the event played out, and we are relieved that everything went smoothly. The City Hall is a great place to hold an event like this”, the organisers say. Pictured are staff members from Sofianlehto Activity Centre Marja-Leena Vanhanen, Anu Pohjaniemi, Tanja Nuutinen ja Pekka Rajamaa.