Woodlands therapy: an ethnographic analysis of a small-group therapeutic activity for people with moderate or severe dementia

This paper reports on an analysis of Woodlands therapy (WT), a sensory-moto r therapeutic activity that aims to encourage interaction with people with moderate or severe dementia. The aims of the study were to examine: the res ponses of patients to the sensory experiences and play-based activities tha t make up a WT session; the factors that influenced their responses; and th e verbal interventions employed by the staff who facilitated WT sessions. M ethods derived from ethnography were used. The data comprised videotapes of five WT sessions, notes of other sessions, and discussions with staff invo lved with the approach. Thematic groups of patients' responses were formula ted. WT mainly appears to engender the responses of attention, participatio n and comment. Factors that influence patients' responses are discussed. Th e findings indicate that staff facilitation strategies strongly influence p atients' responses to WT. Verbal interventions made by staff are grouped in terms of their relative helpfulness for promoting positive responses to WT . Suggestions for practice are made for professional carers undertaking sen sory-motor therapeutic activities for people with dementia.