Arizona State Veteran Home SNOEZELEN Room Enhances Lives of Hero Residents
At the Arizona State Veteran Home in central Phoenix, the dedicated staff “go the extra mile” to serve America’s heroes. This care and dedication includes helping to establish the facility’s SNOEZELEN room—the state’s first SNOEZELEN room. Its impact upon the home’s residents has been profound.
 ASVH Recreation Therapist Dannis Murphy recognized the need for SNOEZELEN soon after joining the Veteran Home’s staff in 2005.
“There were five or six residents who were not participating in activities. They were almost in a vegetative state. I thought a multi-sensory room would increase their ability to communicate,” says Murphy.
Having learned about SNOEZELEN while working with vets in California, Murphy was convinced it was the answer.
With funding from the Area Agency on Aging, a full-scale SNOEZELEN room opened in 2007. Immediately residents began to benefit from SNOEZELEN sessions.
 “Dementia-care residents typically encounter 40 stimulation episodes each day,” Murphy explained. “The average healthy individual has more than 300 encounters. Carefully planned SNOEZELEN treatment greatly improves our residents’ stimulative environment.”
Murphy notes that after SNOEZELEN room sessions, dementia-care residents show improved affect, increased mobility, and better communication skills.
“While we can’t reverse dementia, our SNOEZELEN room has enhanced the quality of our veteran heroes’ lives,” adds Murphy. “Now we can truly serve them as they’ve served us.”
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