Basal stimulation supports people in critical life situations, whose communi­cation and regulation skills are signif­cantly limited or permanently impaired. Perception, communication, and move­ment skills are central to this concept. Basal stimulation is a form of holistic, body­related communication for people with major limitations.

The authors Bienstein and Fröhlich demonstrate how carers can address, enable, stimulate, touch and calm peo­ple through sensory provisions. They specifcally describe key elements of nursing with regard to breathing, bath­ing, rubs (ASE), full and partial washes, dressing, support, dental hygiene, mobi­lization, positioning, washing and help in swallowing.