Question

Describe the following aspects of leisure.

1. Physical aspects of leisure-

2.       Emotional aspects of leisure-

3.       Psychological benefits of leisure and recreation-

4.       Social benefits of leisure-

Answer 1

Leisure/Recreation

· Recreational therapy may also be simply referred to as utilization and enhancement of leisure.

· Recreation and Leisure are used interchangeable.

· Leisure – Any free time that helps to pursue personal interests.

· Recreation is person’s preferred pleasurable and enjoyable activities which they engage during leisure time.

Definition

Recreational therapy or therapeutic recreation (TR) is a systematic process that utilizes recreation (leisure) and other activities as interventions to address the assessed needs of individuals with illnesses and/or disabling conditions, as a means to psychological and physical health, recovery and well-being.                            

– ATRA [American Therapeutic Recreation Association

Points to be considered for leisure/recreational activities

• Allowing freedom of choice.
• Maintaining use of visual and hand skills.
• Creative activities with a worthwhile outcome.
• Allowing clients to work within their own capabilities.
• Giving purpose and meaning to life through activity and involvement.
• Encourage Communication, Expression, Socialization and to Reminiscence.
• Strategies that help with memory, orientation and mood swings.
• Strategies that help with personal care such as washing and dressing.
• Strategies that help with Daily Living and Family Life.

Physical aspects of leisure

· To facilitate the process of empowerment and to enable participants to make choices and decisions which maximizes participation in leisure experiences that suit individual needs and wants.

· Promote the involvement in leisure, recreation and play by reducing barriers to patient's participation and providing opportunities where the individual may choose to participate.

· The treatment expedites physical and psychological recovery as well as well-being of patient.

· Helps to maintain a quality of life as well as maximize psychosocial and physical functions of patient.

Physical benefits:

§ Decrease in blood pressure

§ Decrease in heart rate

§ Increase in bone mass and strength

§ Increase in lung capacity

§ Reduction in incidence of diabetes

§ Increase in muscle strength

§ Increase in sense of well being

§ Increase in flexibility, balance and coordination

§ Improvement in immune system

Emotional aspects of leisure

· Ideally these recreational activities promote self-esteem and personal fulfilment, through an emphasis on holistic care; providing physical, psychological, social, intellectual, emotional and spiritual/cultural support.

· To enable participants to make choices and decisions which maximize participation in leisure experiences that suit individual needs and wants.

EMOTIONAL BENEFITS

§ Happiness

§ Life satisfaction

§ Morale

§ Self-concept

§ Self-esteem

§ Perceived sense of freedom

§ Independence

§ Autonomy

§ Self-confidence

§ Leadership skills

§ Tolerance/Understanding

§ Problem solving skills

Psychological benefits of leisure and recreation

Therapy plans are individualized, and the goal is to develop workable solutions to manage the complete wellbeing. Factors considered includes personal abilities and prior lifestyle. The recreation therapist/nurse can provide a comprehensive approach for learning techniques to:

• Increase strength and function while reducing pain and physical limitations.
• Build physical strength and awareness.
• Encourage lifestyle behaviors that promote wellness and longevity.
• Decrease anxiety
• Restore daily living activities.
• Maximize potential to perform daily living activities and encourage the normalcy of the patient’s current condition. This will assist in providing a balance of not only the physical, but the mental and emotional well-being.

Recreation therapy has a unique role in the health and human service system. It is designed to restore independent functioning while promoting wellness, recreation and leisure to psychological and physical recovery among individuals with disabilities.

Social benefits of leisure

· Leisure have benefits beyond simply counteracting boredom. Depression, anxiety and other disorders can leave individuals with social deficits.

· This also help vulnerable people develop or re-establish social skills in a controlled environment.

List of Leisure/recreational activities

The below listed activities has a unique role in the health and human service system. It is designed to restore independent functioning while promoting wellness, recreation and leisure for psychological and physical recovery among individuals with disabilities. It has holistic benefit thus promotes physical, mental, emotional and social wellbeing.

a. Humour and health

Humour has a potential to relieve stress. It provides opportunity to alleviate anxiety and pain for a brief period of time.

b. Creative writing, storytelling and poetry reading

This provides opportunity for mental wellbeing thus provides overall patient wellbeing. In mental health, the use of writing as a means of expressing feelings and thoughts can have therapeutic value. Through story, poetry, folklore, history, novels are important components of all human experience.

c. Music

There is extensive literature on the effects of music in different healthcare settings, both for inpatients and for those attending outpatient departments. The introduction of music to provide a quiet and restful environment has been found to result in significant reductions in heart rate, respiratory rate, and myocardial oxygen demand in patients recovering from acute myocardial infarction. The use of music was found to stimulate emotional and motor responses, improving the quality of life of those patients.

d. Visual art

The visual arts have been shown to have a positive impact on patients who engage with them.

Visual arts have shown to help patients manage pain.

e. Theatre and drama

Theatre and drama are the most integrative of all the arts: they include singing, dancing, painting, sculpture, storytelling, music, puppetry, poetry and the art of acting. It has showed a positive effect in alleviating disabilities also has effects on communication, cognition and social skills. Drama therapy responds to the deep psychological need of people with dementia to express and understand their own world.

f. Dancing

Exercise alone improves physical ability and sleep. Physical exercise can have a number of health benefits for people with dementia, including reducing the number of falls, improving mental health and improving their mood and confidence. This provides patients a way of communicating, supports spontaneous activity and increases physical movement.

g. Singing

Singing increases verbal communication, thus stimulates patient’s collaboration during routine tasks, improves their mood and reduces agitation.