#7250 REC Sensory-Based Interventions in Senior Care

Course overview

Older adults in skilled nursing, long-term care, and post acute settings frequently present with emotional dysregulation that interferes with therapy participation, daily routines, and quality of life. Emotional dysregulation can present as extreme or rapid mood shifts, sudden anger or tearfulness, irritability, low frustration tolerance, heightened reactivity, or emotional blunting and withdrawal. In clinical settings, this may manifest as agitation during care, refusal to participate, poor task persistence, or difficulty tolerating routine demands. Sensory based interventions when applied thoughtfully and ethically can support regulation, engagement, and task tolerance across therapy disciplines. This course provides an evidence-informed framework for understanding sensory processing changes in aging and neurologic conditions, with practical strategies that can be integrated into ADLs, mobility, communication, and mealtime routines. Participants will learn how to recognize sensory-related barriers, select appropriate interventions, and document clinical reasoning to support skilled care in senior populations. Course instruction method includes: lecture, videos, group discussion, case studies, and question/answers.