-Michelle Schoffro Cook
"Scientist have identified regions of the cortex involved in coding odours; and MRI scans revealed increases in response in the odour-processing areas of our brains that reflected learning. The part of our brain that handles smell – the piriform cortex – is right next door to that responsible for memory and emotion. This has led to our memories becoming intrinsically and strongly linked with odour. "
-read rest of article here
The reasoning behind this research...
I was thinking, it's good that I am working on improving the environment for the residents of Camberwell's Residential home, it helps to boost the mood of the place, make it a little bit more fresh, but i thought it is all well and good changing the visual appearance of the place, should boost the general energy of that environment, but surely I can do more? With a lot of the residents having difficulty with both movement and memory, I figure what stimulates responses within people are the senses. And one of the senses that has the least attention paid to it the sense of smell. I thought is there a way of boosting memory or vitality through this sense. Through researching on the internet the essential/aromatherapy oils that keep appearing are: sweet basil, peppermint, rose, rosemary and thyme; to boost memory/performance. I figure that these smells could easily be placed into the home to boost the resident's moods. Either through cotton balls with essential oils dropped on them and placed throughout the room. Or through electric aromatherapy diffusers. It would not be possible to have these fragrances in oil burners it would be a health and safety risk. Maybe through this method the residents will intake more oxygen and possibly increase vitality. I'll speak to Sally and see what she thinks to this idea.
Also the sense of touch would be interesting to look at, as people respond to that quickly, and there has been a lot of research already done in that area. I just feel that this is part of the work/job when you are redesigning and decorating the interior f somewhere, all the senses have to be stimulated. You can't just think visually, even though that is a large part of it.
