Multisensory installations in residential aged-care facilities: increasing novelty and encouraging social engagement through modest environmental changes.

ABSTRACT

The current study examined the effect of an indoor simulated garden installation that included visual, auditory, and olfactory stimuli on resident well-being, compared to the effect elicited by a reminiscence installation and a control no-installation condition. A quasi-experimental ABA design was used (i.e., two intervention conditions plus a wait-list control condition). A survey instrument was administered to nursing home residents (N = 33) at three time points (pre-, during, and post intervention) over an 8-week period, which measured mood, behavior, health, and social interaction. Additionally, staff reports (N = 24) were collected. Both the nature-based and non-nature-based installations led to enhanced well-being and significantly more social benefits for residents because of their novel and aesthetic appeal, compared with the control condition. Residents in the nature-based installation condition reported more satisfaction with their living environment during the intervention phase than those in the comparison conditions. The results show that an indoor garden simulation is a relatively inexpensive way to transform a disused indoor area of an aged-care facility for the benefit of residents and staff.