Noise and the Healthcare Environment 

Understanding the impact of uncontrolled noise on the care environment 

Particular attention must be paid to noise and sound management in senior care. Patients with dementia can be extremely sensitive to their environment. Considerations regarding overstimulation are essential, as increased confusion or agitation may result and too little stimulation may cause withdrawal. Loud noises, uncontrolled television and radio sound or a busy environment can all contribute to overstimulation. Unfamiliar surroundings, new places, or the inability to recognize home also contribute to disorientation and overstimulation, exacerbated by a noisy, unsettling care environment.

Of the five senses, hearing has the most significant impact on people with dementia in terms of quality of life. Hearing is also one of the most significant senses for older adults. As the ability to hear is linked to balance, loss of hearing leads to a greater risk of falls, e.g. through loss of balance or through an increase in disorientation as a result of people trying to orientate themselves in an environment that is overstimulating and noisy.

KOMITOMS supports individuals with dementia to cope with the reduced ability to understand their sensory environment, enabling residents to feel supported by their environment rather than agitated and overstimulated. Proper attention to audio/video considerations is essential to facilitating the most effective application of programming. 

Dementia-specific programming is a key element in the daily care of the residents, and must be well designed in its conception and implementation. The primary goal of KOMITOMS programming is to build and enhance overall quality of life. KOMITOMS programming involves caregivers and residents, integrating a holistic approach to focus on the total individual viewer participant, i.e. physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Current scholarship recommends that dementia-specific programming reflect three components of resident life: i) Activities of Daily Living, ii) Voluntary Task-Oriented Activities, and iii) Traditional Recreational Activities. KOMITOMS integrates all three of these areas and more via QoL-oriented, motivating, physically and cognitively exacting task prompts, and accessible, enjoyable, relevant, and therapeutically-oriented programming.

Download KOMITOMS Noise and the Healthcare Environment Information Sheet