Student Calm Room

When you walk into the Calm Room, there is an area for you to remove your shoes (please wear socks or bring indoor shoes, as students are maintaining the room's cleanliness!), hang up your jacket, and leave your backpack. Come into the room, and you can have a seat, have a nap, or just a quiet moment to yourself. Alternatively, you can participate in any of the activities we have in the room, including:

The 2016 National College of Health Assessment (NCHA) for the U of A noted that while most students rate their health as very good or excellent, the three issues most likely to affect academic success are anxiety, stress, and lack of sleep. Rates of anxiety and other mental illness are increasing in post-secondary institutions worldwide (Hunt & Eisenberg, 2010). The U of A has implemented various efforts to support mental health needs of students, but options are limited and more mental health services and supports are needed. Specifically, there is no formal, non-academic campus space where students can relax and freely engage in mindful activities. We know that students tend to not only perform better academically, but also have a better overall experience and improved subjective quality of life when mental health needs are attended to (e.g. Eisenberg, Golberstein, & Hunt, 2009). The Calm Room is one way to assist towards this end.

The Healthy University Strategic Plan, based on NCHA data and in collaboration with a number of U of A working groups, revealed the following statistics in their April 2017 (most recent data) final release:

• "From a physical perspective, a large proportion of students are not engaging in regular physical activity, not making healthy eating choices, and not getting enough sleep. These factors all limit their ability to succeed academically."
• "From a mental health perspective, the survey results indicated that:
  • 2.1% of students reported having attempted suicide last year. Using recent enrolment figures (2.1% x 38,700 students) it can be estimated that 813 students attempted suicide last year.
  • 9.1% of students self-harmed (3,522 students).
  • 4.6% of U of A students reported having thought seriously about committing suicide last year (1,780 students).
  • 45.4% felt so depressed that it was difficult to function (17,570 students).
  • 39.6% felt that stress levels negatively affected their academic performance in the previous year (15,325 students).
  • 31.5% felt that severe anxiety levels negatively affected their academic performance last year (12,191 students).
  • 22.3% of U of A students felt socially isolated (8,630 students). Isolation is an important indicator in mental illness and threat assessment."

In a practical sense, the Department of Occupational Therapy (and its home Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine) contributed substantially to the starting costs for this project. Also, OT students applied for grant funding, designed and set up the space, and are currently maintaining** it (e.g. keeping the room clean and stocked, facilitating communications amongst interested stakeholders and media, etc).

Occupational therapists (and Occupational Therapy students) have specific education in skills needed to systematically evaluate complex situations and activities, and to adapt different activities and contexts to the specific people using them. We (MScOT students) appreciate the opportunity to give back to our school and to support our colleagues and friends in a meaningful way, and one that allows us to develop our technical skills and be more effective professionals post-graduation.

While sensory or "Snoezelen" rooms are not a new concept (e.g. Ontario Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services, 2018), the OT perspective on the Calm Room is the deliberate inclusion of activity. Occupational therapy emphasizes the therapeutic value of "doing," i.e. the ability to function in and engage with our environment in meaningful ways that are associated with wellness (CAOT, 2016). In deciding which activities to include in the Calm Room, we researched evidence-based practices, consulted stakeholders, and connected with similar initiatives already in existence (e.g. CASA Services). To promote accessibility and inclusivity, we implemented elements of universal and environmental design wherever possible. For example, we created wide pathways through the space (e.g. for individuals in wheelchairs), included sturdy chairs with armrests (e.g. for individuals with physical weakness), used contrasting colours (e.g. for individuals with visual impairments), and selected nature themes and tones as much as possible (it has been demonstrated that exposure even to artificial nature, such as photographs, is associated with decreased stress and an increased sense of wellness, e.g. Bratman, Hamilton, & Daily, 2012). We are now in the process of further researching and designing knowledge translation paradigms to ensure the most effective delivery of information to students and other stakeholders, furthering our long-term goal of improving student mental health and contributing to a culture change around how mental health and wellness are viewed.

**Other students from the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine (Physical Therapy, Speech-Language Pathology, and Rehabilitation Science) will be involved as soon as possible, now that the Calm Room is open and most logistics have been addressed.

Most of the funds came from a Heroes for Health grant (value of $5,000). This grant is funded by the U of A Healthy Campus Unit, through partnerships with the Alumni Association, Community & Campus Recreation, and Human Resources Services (Healthy Campus Unit, 2019). The grant is intended to "encourage[s] students, staff, and faculty to come together, think outside the box and work collaboratively to propose ideas for a healthier campus in four areas: social connections, physical activity, mental health, substance, [sic] and alcohol use" (Healthy Campus Unit, 2019).

A group of first-year occupational therapy students applied for this grant; our grant was reviewed by a panel, and our initiative was chosen from amongst other applicants based on its feasibility, sustainability, and ability to meet established overall university wellness goals, broadly summarized as the need to "prioritize and sustain student, faculty and staff health, wellness and safety by delivering proactive, relevant, responsive and accessible services and initiatives" (Healthy University Strategic Plan, 2019).

To support the beginnings of this project, the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine and the Department of Occupational Therapy also supplied funds ($5,000 total). Note that the $10,000 total revenues are being used to supply and maintain both the Edmonton and Calgary Calm Room locations, and money is reserved for future wellness events and initiatives. The majority of the virtual reality equipment was loaned to us at no cost (it was purchased by the Occupational Therapy Department as part of another study). Lastly, a requirement of the Heroes for Health grant is that we submit follow-up financial reports ensuring that our funding is being used as described in our application. To date, we are well within budget.

The Calm Room project was started and is currently being maintained by occupational therapy students, and Corbett Hall is where all of our classes are held. By having the Calm Room close by, we can more easily maintain it (keep it clean, organize and host events, ensure snacks and supplies are always present).

On-campus space for non-academic reasons is at a premium, and we were lucky to be able to use a research lab that is currently not being used. We hope that we can keep this physical space, but it is possible that we will have to relocate. This is one reason why it is so helpful for any Calm Room users to complete the brief entry and exit surveys: the more objective data and results we can use to promote the long-term use of this space, and to support the creation of other similar spaces on campus, the better!