airport sensory room! part 2
Welcome to Part 2, Sensory Boogaloo!
When I told my mom about this blog and my plan to make a post about the sensory room at the PIT airport, she expressed wanting to share about her experience with Presley's Place as well! So as I was writing my own post about it, I sent her some questions to get her perspective as well. We're both excited to share her thoughts in this post!
Lori's overall impression:
Heather received her official diagnosis in March, just a month or so before she moved home in between leaving her college apartment and going to England. While Heather was exploring which accommodations were most helpful to her, her family and I were learning right along with her! There were many things we had done intuitively throughout her life, which may have been a factor in not recognizing earlier what her needs stemmed from. In a similar way, Presley’s place just looked to me like a cool space to hang out in with many design elements and furnishings that we might put in our own home, perhaps not even recognizing their significance to someone with a need for sensory accommodation.
What, if anything, did you know about Presley’s Place before arriving at the PIT Airport?
Mom: Presley’s Place wasn't anything I gave much thought to before. When I saw the signs for it, I recalled a vague memory- perhaps of an article or facebook post I’d read, so I was encouraged to check it out.
What was your experience finding the room like?
Mom: The best and most unexpected aspect was that it was directly across the hall from Heather’s departure gate!
Did you think it was "childish" in its design, or considered autistic/special needs adults in its accommodations?
Mom: I was expecting it to be mainly geared toward young children, or perhaps teens and adults with greater support needs. I was happy to see that it would appeal to all ages and nearly all support levels. The space was very neutrally decorated. I was expecting to see decor that might be found in a kindergarten classroom, but I think any of the sensory and decorative elements in Presley's Place could be equally at home in an adult's house as in a nursery.
What was your overall experience like at the airport and in the sensory room with your daughter?
Mom: When Heather saw that she could have a support person accompany her to the gate, I didn't hesitate! Thankfully, short-term parking has a maximum fee of 26$/day, and I would have gladly paid that per minute just to spend the extra time with Heather.
I haven't flown since before 9/11, and since then I've only used the curbside drop-off and pick-up when I was driving someone to or from the airport (with one exception of meeting a friend at the baggage claim). I wasn't expecting to go past the baggage check-in with Heather, so I parked in short-term parking and only brought my ID, debit card, and car keys with me so I could help her manage her luggage. I've never gone through current airport security, and I felt uncomfortable, even though I didn't have to go through a more thorough security screening.
Upon arriving at Presley's Place, I just stood back and enjoyed watching Heather check out all of the amenities. No one else was using the space while we were there, so we had free reign of the rooms. I was thankful for a room with a table and chairs so I could eat my Chick-fil-A! I was happy to find that the rocking cushions could comfortably fit a very full-sized adult. Heather seemed to be enjoying the bubble tower lamps, and they were very soothing to me as well.
Overall, I was happy that Heather had access to a more comfortable place to wait for her flight.
Were there any ways in which you feel that you benefited from the room yourself, outside of it being accessible and helpful for your daughter's needs?
Mom: Aside from the obvious benefit that I got to spend more time with Heather before her flight, I felt the room was calming for me as well. I was of course very excited for her but also very sad because I would miss her so much. It was a tremendous gift to be able to spend time just relaxing in a quiet, comfortable space, knowing that she wasn't being stressed out by waiting alone in a noisy and hectic environment. Additionally, I think that the “Practice Boarding” area would be useful to anyone, especially children and first time flyers.
Is there anything else you would like to share?
Mom: I want to give a shout-out to Presley's Dad! As a Mom, I always did my best to advocate for my daughters at any age, even now into their adult years. While I'm hopeful that I've made a positive impact in their lives, I'm so very happy to see parents make an impact that not only benefits their child but others in the community as well.
Thanks so much for reading! If you've had any experience at a sensory room in an airport (or other public place!) leave a comment below :)
take care of yourself <3
~Heather & Lori
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