Escape From Sensory Overload!

Sensory overload occurs when one or more senses of the body are overstimulated. This is frequently experienced by customers shopping in local Hamilton businesses and our aim is to help them have a more peaceful experience. To do this, we are proposing the options of using a website to upload their grocery list or calling a toll-free number to communicate their desired items. Based on their requirements, a customized map highlighting the most succinct route to those items will be provided. We would also device sensory-friendly shopping hours where stimuli in the form of lights, music, announcements, etc. would be reduced to ensure lower triggers and increase signs around the store to improve their shopping experience. These modifications will be implemented to offer customers facing sensory overload the same opportunity as those who do not. To ease their experience, these hours will be implemented when fewer customers are running errands.

We consist of a multidisciplinary team focused on making meaningful transitions in the community. We have a common objective to enhance accessibility and mobility options within Hamilton while learning and incorporating new perspectives.

Description

Multiple options will be provided to assist community members with sensory overload to enable a much easier, and less stressful shopping experience for them. ​

​One option is submitting the grocery list virtually to the store, from which a customized map illustrating the easiest path to take to find required items will be provided. For users without access to the internet, the list can be submitted via phone calls from which employees can collect the required items for store pickup.​

Other ideas to be implemented include restructuring the store environment (i.e., no announcements over sound systems, reduced music noise, dimmed lights) and providing customers with more informational signs across stores and individuals to help them find the products they are seeking in a timely manner.  

Systems that can benefit everyone, and are not a hindrance to others:

• Some things that contribute to sensory overload are noisy settings, strong-smelling settings, large crowds, etc.
• Some business settings thrive in these conditions and may not want these resources implemented. Therefore a middle ground is needed in order to accommodate and serve everyone’s needs. 

What are some specific procedures to attain the goal?

• Specific light systems to help decrease the chance of triggering a sensory overload 

• Pre-planned shopping options (virtual maps to plan out shopping trips, or online shopping) 

• Decreased noise/smell times 

What are some resources we could use to attain some of these goals (especially goal 17)?

• Sources to get volunteers (provides people who can contribute to the business with minimal spending): https://volunteerhamilton.ca/. 
• Hamilton funding programs that revolve around city enrichment, or community engagement (both of which are relevant). This could ease the financial burden that the business faces when it comes to implementing the solution: https://www.hamilton.ca/community-funding-grant-programs.

• Provide customers with access to a virtual site that will give them a map view of the store they are looking to shop in. On this site they can upload their shopping list, where in return they will receive a customized map that depicts the best, most sensory friendly route to get their groceries. 

• Re-design the general layout and store environment to one that is more tolerable. This could mean finding ways to reduce lighting and music in stores without hindering the other customers who do not require these changes.

• Utilize city grants and student helpers to create and implement signs around these stores. This means adding more user friendly signage in order for the shopping experience for individuals suffering from sensory overload will hopefully be less stressful and overall more enjoyable. 

To measure the success of our idea, we would provide surveys to both the businesses participating, as well as the customers using the website to enhance their shopping experience. After the customers complete their shopping trip using the map provided in the website, they would be asked to fill out a survey on ways they felt the app helped their experience, as well as feedback on where improvements could be made. The businesses will also receive an option to fill out a survey every 6 months, giving us an update on the impacts of our project on any financial implications this project may be having, and their view of the customer satisfaction of using the shopping app. like.

Our final solution is to provide customers with the option of either uploading their grocery list, or calling the store and letting them know what they need, and in return being provided with a map that gives a clear concise route to obtain their groceries. Along with this idea, we would also implement quieter shopping hours (i.signagee. reduced music, dimmed lights) as well as increased sinage in order to decrease the potential triggers of sensory overload, and overall enhance the shopping experience for the customers. Both of these ideas should be implemented in order for customers who experience sensory overload to have the same opportunity to go out and enjoy the shopping experience just as much as individuals who don't experience sensory overload. These changes will not be implemented for all hours of the day, instead it will be select hours when stores have seen a decrease in customers running their errands. These additions to shopping will be implicated in a very similar manner to how older individuals had a specific hour to shop during the COVID-19 pandemic for their safety.

• The suggestions we have above are things that many individuals, including children, will benefit greatly from. By adding these suggestions into stores globally, all individuals will suffering from sensory overload will have the option to go about their shopping trips while having to worry less about a loud noise, or bright lights triggering their sensory overload.