There is no place like home. Have you ever missed home but felt like you couldn’t get back there? Like you couldn’t get comfortable, or feel calm or relaxed? For so many patients, this is an everyday reality – and one I hope to improve. I have a simple idea that can make a big difference for our patients, and I need your help. My name is Alison and I work at The Vic as a Clinical Nurse Specialist, with a focus on dementia care, geriatrics, and wound care. I’ve developed a deep understanding of the unique healthcare needs of older adults and a passion for making their time spent here as positive as possible. I have a vision for a Sensory Lounge, a space designed with patients’ needs in mind. Here’s what I imagine: calming colours, beautiful artwork, comfortable seating, and activities that provide sensory stimulation and socialization opportunities. The current room at Victoria Hospital that we hope to transform into a Sensory Lounge. This is a rendering of what the sensory room could look like with your support. Sensory Lounges use light, sound, and texture to calm and engage individuals. These spaces reduce agitation, anxiety, and confusion – common and distressing symptoms of dementia – by providing soothing, structured stimulation. A Sensory Lounge is not just a room; it’s a feeling. It’s a therapeutic retreat that helps patients feel less anxious, more engaged, and more connected. Your gift today can create a specialized space where patients feel a sense of calm and safety – a sense of home. Recently, a family member shared the anxiety she felt when her husband wandered or became agitated. He kept saying he wanted “to go home,” but she couldn’t identify which “home” he was looking for. She showed him photos of all the places they’d lived during their nearly 60 years of marriage, as well as his childhood home. Nothing seemed to click. Then she had a realization. “Home wasn’t a place. It was a feeling.” Her words really affected me and I know that we can do more for our patients. With your support, we can bring that feeling of home into our hospital. Don’t get me wrong, hospitals are great for what they were designed for: efficiency and safety. But for many of our patients experiencing cognitive decline, this setting is confusing, overwhelming, and even frightening. The lights are too bright – harsh, white, and humming softly, like bees trapped in glass. Shadows stretch in unfamiliar directions. Faces pass by too quickly, their voices muffled or too loud, speaking words that don’t quite make sense. People in uniforms come and go, touching things, asking questions. Your generous gift will help bring the feeling of home into a place that can otherwise feel overwhelming. Together, we can transform hospital care and support families and caregivers in the process. With my gratitude, Alison Kokocinski, BHSc, RN, MScN, IIWCC, GNC(C)Clinical Nurse SpecialistVictoria Hospital P.S. Funding this sensory lounge is a powerful way to directly impact patient well-being. Give today at TheVicFoundation.ca/FeelsLikeHome “ Your gift today can create a specialized space where patients feel a sense of calm and safety – a sense of home. Donate Post navigation < BACK
