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Therapeutic Recreation: Case Study

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TR meeting the needs for all in Residential care Kim White April 10, 2015 THRT 4802-Current Issues and Trends in Therapeutic Recreation Douglas College Janice Spencer Therapeutic recreation practitioners work in many areas and with a variation of populations from children to older adults, individuals with mental health issues, addictions, workplace wellness, community settings, assisted living, long-term and residential care. Assessments are used to appropriately meet the needs of the populations and clients that are served, but due to the structure of the health care system in Canada, there are individuals who are living in long-term and residential care whose needs are not being met. Typically, in long-term and residential care the …show more content…

They must try to adjust to an environment that is traditionally designed to meet geriatric-based medical and emotional care needs. Due to their age, the small/large group planned programs are not age appropriate nor of interest to them. Many individuals living in long-term and residential care do not pursue independent leisure activities because of their diagnosis and require programs and one-to-one activities. Typically programming is centered on the needs of the older individuals who are the majority in this environment and those that are under the age of 65 may not be having their needs met. This paper will look at who these individuals are and how therapeutic recreation can appropriately meet their leisure and recreation …show more content…

A program recreation could develop would be to work with volunteers to buddy up and assist residents out in the community. Literature shows that many individuals under the age of 65 in residential care prefer to direct own leisure needs but still feel isolated from the group activities. Recreation programming in residential care is designed to be age appropriate but with a sometimes-large difference in age in the residents with the majority being elderly, this can be challenging. Dependant on the younger individual, it may be possible to have them volunteer around the home and assist in chores, programs, planning, being the ‘go to’ person for things, be responsible for the plants, common area, resident pet/fish. Something that would provide a meaningful and purposeful endeavour for the individual, using assessment and a leisure conversation in addition to observations will assist in the creation of obtainable goals for the particular individuals’ leisure

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