Calm down methods

Sometimes, we can tell when there’s early signs of agitation with people. It may be things such as the tone of their voice or their body language. PRN medication can be an effective strategy but perhaps sometimes we reach for it too quickly or too easily.

Assisting people to use their own personal coping mechanisms and strategies can be just as effective. This intervention offers a range offers an alternative and a means to make them available to people. Owen, this is our calm down methods box. 

This is one of our Safewards interventions that I really wanted to show you and it’s a box full of sensory items and this intervention can be used at times when you might be feeling a little tense or agitated. You might find something in here that helps to motivate you if you’re starting to feel a bit down. 

Cool, so I can use this stuff whenever I want? We highly encourage you to use this whenever you want, ok. So you’ve only got to ask the staff or when you see it out, help yourself. So, some of things we have in here is like our mindfulness colouring in booking and this can be really, really good to help you focus on specific things, which might take your mind off what’s going on if you need some distracting. 

Usually, people do just what you’ve done and they grab for what appeals to them the most. So, things like this really help me because I like to fiddle like that as well. We’ve also got an iPod if you’re… Oh, cool. Sometimes, I listen to music to help me calm down and things. Great. There you go. So, what I’ll do, is pass that information onto our staff too, so you know that about yourself. 

Listening to music helps you at times when you need it. I’ll pass it on so we can offer to you as well. Otherwise, you’re welcome to play around with some of the items in here.

Cool, that’s good to know, thanks. You’re welcome.