Question

Discuss implications for the therapeutic recreation profession for disorders of childhood, adolescence, and late adulthood.

Answer 1

Recreational Therapy also known as therapeutic recreation is a systematic process that utilize recreation and other activity- based interventions to address the assessed needs of individuals with illness and/ or disabling conditions,as a means to psychological and physical health,recovery and wellbeing.Further recreational therapy means a treatment service designed to restore remediate,and rehabilate a persons level of functioning and independence in life activities to promote health and wellness as well as reduce or eliminate the activity limitations and restrictions to participation in life situations caused by an illness or disabling condition.

When working with children,adolescents and late adulthood with special health care needs,the specific purpose of recreational therapy is to:

• Help recover from the illness/ condition
• Develop necessary skills for successful participation in social and leisure activities
• Alleviate the impact of hospitalization or disability on a child’s play and social development
• Transition safely out of the hospital or treatment facility with a plan for a healthy leisure lifestyle

In therapeutic recreation the whole child is considered,meaning that the recreational therapist advocate for a child’s psychological needs,not just physical and cognitive abilities.They also advocate for child’s family to be included in the treatment and discharge plan.Parents,siblings, and other family members and caregivers are always included in the recreational therapy treatment planning, and service provision of children and adolescents.The recreational therapists are trained in child psychology, lifespan human development,childhood development and knowledgeable regarding how childhood illness and hospitalization impact development.They are also knowledge about behavior management strategies.They put this knowledge into practice with patients through the following

• Use of standardized assessments of patient skills, abilities, and attitudes including physical, cognitive, behavioral,social/ emotional,and/ or leisure functioning.
• Improvement of physical functioning through sports and participation in recreation specific activities to develop locomotor skills,balance,coordination,motor planning,strength and endurance,object control skills,and eye/ hand coordination,to increase group participation in physical activity programs.
• Improvement of cognitive functioning through the development of therapeutic activities that improve attention span,problem solving,decision making skills,and creative expression.
• Improvement of behavioral functioning through the development of therapeutic activities that improve: anger/ frustration control,respect for others and self,trust issues,gender issues,assertiveness training,conflict resolution,stress management,relaxation training,values clarification,and team building skills.
• Improvement of social/ emotional functioning through the development of therapeutic activities that improves social/ group interactions,peer relationships,cooperation boundary issues,self expression,leadership,self advocacy,play skills,communication and team building skills.
• Discharge planning for transitioning patients with disabilities and special health care needs into the community through social skill training,education on the use of local transportation,identification of environmental and social barriers,money management,self management skills and awareness of leisure interests and resources
• Provision of diversional and volunteer services within facility including but not limited to: supervision of free play in recreation or play rooms.
• Instruction on use of technology for leisure opportunities including but not limited to: iPads,computers,social media,communication boards leisure based video games and switch toys.