How Sensana Supports ALPIMS Domains (Expanded Teaching Version)
Anxiety
- Sensana Contribution: Grounding techniques, reducing cognitive demand, zone check-ins
- Teaching Points:
- Encourage zone awareness to identify early signs of overwhelm.
- Use grounding tools such as textured objects, breath practices, or rhythmic movement.
- Reduce decision fatigue with visual schedules, “choose not chase” menus, or permission to pause.
- Examples:
- “Place a stone in your palm and describe it with all your senses.”
- “Let’s do a zone check-in before we choose the next activity.”
Laxity
- Sensana Contribution: Gentle body care, adaptive tools, low-pressure movement practices
- Teaching Points:
- Recognise joint instability and fatigue as part of the care picture.
- Promote movement practices that prioritise alignment, support, and pacing.
- Use adaptive equipment without shame—function over form.
- Examples:
- Use shower chairs, braces, soft shoes, or compression wear.
- “Seated stretching and pillow-supported rest count as movement.”
Pain
- Sensana Contribution: MES (Minimal Effective Strategy), pacing, sensory minimisation, safe postures
- Teaching Points:
- Teach how to identify flare triggers and switch to MES tasks.
- Model non-judgemental pacing, allowing rest before pain escalates.
- Offer body-safe spaces with adjustable seating, soft fabrics, and quiet.
- Examples:
- “Today we’ll do the 25% version of the task—just starting it is a win.”
- “This space has dim lighting and a recliner to support pain reduction.”
Immune
- Sensana Contribution: Low-toxin living, flare-responsive food tools, rest prioritisation
- Teaching Points:
- Reduce exposure to environmental stressors (fragrance, cleaning chemicals).
- Support food safety routines (zone-matched meals, reheat-safe kits).
- Normalise rest as immune care, not laziness.
- Examples:
- “Let’s prepare a Red Zone snack kit for when flares hit.”
- “In this space, we avoid strong scents and use air purifiers.”
Mood
- Sensana Contribution: Daily rhythm, emotional permission, co-regulation scripts
- Teaching Points:
- Provide predictable rhythms (gentle wake, midday reset, evening wind-down).
- Teach emotional expression that honours shutdown, irritability, or grief without shame.
- Model co-regulation, such as silent companionship or shared breathing.
- Examples:
- “We don’t have to ‘fix’ sad days—we can just name them and sit with them.”
- “You can use the phrase ‘I’m in yellow’ instead of explaining emotions.”
Sensory
Sensana Contribution: Customised environments, weighted items, calming inputs
Teaching Points:
Acknowledge sensory profiles—hypersensitive or hyposensitive.
Adjust inputs: light, sound, smell, texture, movement.
Offer weighted or textured tools for safety and grounding.
“Let’s use a weighted wrap while we do our check-in.”
Examples:
“Here’s a quiet corner with dim lights and noise-cancelling headphones.”
Anxiety – Grounding, Reducing Cognitive Demand, Zone Check-Ins
Laxity – Joint Support, Adaptive Tools, Low-Pressure Movement
Pain – MES, Pacing, Safe Postures
Immune – Low Toxin, Food, Rest Supports
Mood – Rhythm, Emotional Permission, Co-Regulation
Sensory – Environmental Design, Weighted Input, Calming Modulation