Casual leisure and the sensory diet: A concept for improving quality of life in neuropalliative conditions

Issue title: Leisure in Rehabilitation

Guest editors: Anne Fenech

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Fenech, Anne^{a; *} | Baker, Mark^b

Affiliations: [a] University of Southampton, School of Health Sciences, Southampton, UK | [b] Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability, West Hill, London, SW15 3SW, UK

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author. Tel.: +44 7980 919545; E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract: This case report describes the leisure lifestyle of two individuals with neuropalliative conditions who expressed themselves satisfied with their use of leisure time and whose leisure occupations were based around sensory stimulation to each of the five senses, proprioception and vestibular stimulation in turn. It evaluates the concept of leisure as a means of giving a meaning to life and therefore increasing quality of life, suggests greater use of the existing sensory diet framework in the domain of neuropalliative conditions and proposes a direction for future research in order to provide casual leisure opportunities for individuals with severe cognitive dysfunction in order to improve their quality of life.

Keywords: Neurological disability, locked in syndrome, Huntington's disease, leisure, sensory diet, casual leisure

DOI: 10.3233/NRE-2008-23411

Journal: NeuroRehabilitation, vol. 23, no. 4, pp. 369-376, 2008