Some of our centers are opening the doors to their brand new Sensory Gym! The Sensory Gym is a safe space for participants to engage in active sensory play. The environment is designed to mentally, emotionally and physically stimulate participants, while having fun and learning new skills.
Regular exposure to a Sensory Gym can help:
✔ reduce social stress,
✔ foster independence,
✔ develop sight, touch and sound response, and
✔ help people living with disability acclimate to new stimuli.
In recent years, the importance of sensory stimulation for people living with disability has been advocated for by participants, careers and experts alike..
Therapy Cares Allied Health and Services Manager, Natalie Delana, is passionate about the importance of sensory-based therapy and its essential place in a participant’s NDIS plan.
“There was a huge demand from our community for a purpose-built space to deliver sensory-based therapy.
The Sensory Gym is as diverse and unique as each participant, as individuals engage with the space in a different way. The gym can be used as a tool to regulate emotions, build physical fitness and strength, improve communication and socialize.
“There are unlimited ways in which we can use the space to individualize the programming for a specific participant’s needs and goals. I love the amount of creativity that can be brought to the space with different swings, climbing and jumping options,” says Natalie.
The sensory gym enhances participant engagement during therapy sessions. The gym can play a necessary support role if there is a specific NDIS goal a participant is working towards. Examples of goals the sensory gym can support include; communication, language, numeracy, literacy, physical strength and fitness.
The benefits of frequent sessions at the Sensory Gyms span across a broad range of disabilities, including mood disorders, learning difficulties, developmental dyspraxia, physical disabilities, sensory impairments, plus many more.
“The sensory gym is the most suitable space we have at Therapy Care for our pediatric participants. however it is suitable for all ages and a lot of participants enjoy mixing up their normal exercise program “ says Natalie
Frequent visits to the Sensory Gym can be a great addition to a participant’s NDIS plan if they are having difficulty engaging in traditional therapy that targets skill building.
It can also aid in skill development across all therapies including language, comprehension, expression, problem solving, social interactions, memory, physical function including fine motor and gross motor skills, motor sequencing and planning, and organization whilst incorporating strategies that assist in behavioral management and emotional regulation.
To find out more about Therapy Care’s new Sensory Gym, please get in touch with us:
? 02 9626 8119
Find out more about Therapy Care’s allied health therapies by visiting this webpage
