July is National Parks and Recreation Month, and it’s a good time to educate our community about the field of Therapeutic Recreation (TR) and the importance of leisure in our lives. More than just playing bingo, TR is a treatment service designed to restore, remediate and rehabilitate a person’s level of functioning and independence in life activities. It is conducted in many settings, most commonly in residential care settings like nursing homes, rehabilitation centers and assisted living communities; however, it can be part of community-based therapy, as well. The purpose of TR is to promote health and wellness as well as to reduce or eliminate the activity limitations and restrictions to participation in life situations caused by illness or disabling conditions.
Recreation Therapists work as part of the treatment team to restore motor, social and cognitive functioning, build confidence, develop coping skills, and integrate those skills learned in the treatment setting to community settings. Interventions vary widely, and can include creative arts, sports, adventure programming, dance/movement, and leisure education.
Recreation therapists are usually certified through the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification. Academic programs in TR emphasize course work in the physical, biological and behavioral sciences, as well as recreation and leisure therapy. They also require an internship under the supervision of a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS).
Why is recreation and leisure important? Research shows that people with active, satisfying leisure lifestyles will be happier and healthier than those who don’t. At Gurwin, our TR department provides services and treatments which are based on individual residents’ interests and lifestyles, so the programming is diversified and varied. While most people can predict the psychosocial benefits of Recreation Therapy, which include improved attitudes toward illness, increased self-esteem and improved social skills, many don’t understand that it can have physical benefits, as well. Patients involved in Recreation Therapy report reduced pain, improved flexibility and balance, increased endurance, a decrease in the occurrence and severity of pressure ulcers, and increased strength and energy.
During the month of July, be sure to evaluate your own leisure interests, and resolve to make time for them. In addition, if you know an elderly or home-bound individual, be sure that they, too, have the opportunity to participate in activities that interest them or that they have enjoyed for years. Regardless of whether we participate in leisure activities with others or on our own, it is important to remember to take the time to play!
