Recreational Therapy

According to the American Therapeutic Recreation Association, recreation therapy is defined as, “A treatment service designed to restore, remediate and rehabilitate a person’s 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.” Our recreational therapists aim to provide individuals with the skills and tools needed to function in society and to improve their quality of life by meeting physical, mental, emotional and social goals.

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What We Do

After an individual has sustained injuries in a motor vehicle accident, they may experience lifestyle changes including decreased leisure participation, increase in free time, loss of income, decreased socialization and social activities, and a shift to increased sedentary activities. Our Recreational Therapists meet with individuals to address these changes by creating individualized care plans and implementing meaningful and functional activities and interventions.

 

Common Recreational Therapy Goals

Our therapists provide a holistic practice focused on maintaining or improving physical, social, emotional/mental, and cognitive well being so that an individual can achieve the most functional/fulfilling lifestyle possible.

Common Recreational Therapy goals include, but are not limited to:

  • Increase community integration

  • Enhance body image perceptions

  • Improve gross/fine motor skills, mobility, and ROM

  • Increase attention span, mental alertness, conversation skills, participation in age-appropriate activities

  • Participate in age-appropriate activities

  • Prevent social isolation

  • Develop/maintain social skills

  • Increase social networks ie. meeting people

  • Increased self-esteem

  • Improving self image through achievement of goals

  • Increased relaxation / stress release

Benefits of Recreational Therapy

There are a wide range of positive benefits from participating in Recreational Therapy.

Common benefits include, but are not limited to:

  • Improved Quality of Life

  • Increased Community Reintegration & Socialization

  • Improved Social Skills

  • Positive Self-Image & Healthy Mental Well Being

  • Improved Physical Health & Functioning (I.E., Fine Motor/Gross Motor Skills, Improvement of AROM/ROM, Strength, Endurance)

  • Improved Cognition (I.E., Memory/Recall, Focus, Attention, Concentration, Processing, Sequencing)

  • Awareness & Ability to Utilize Leisure Resources

  • Development of Healthy Leisure Skills & Participation Patterns

  • Improved Communication Skills

  • Development & Utilization of Leisure-Based Coping Mechanisms

 

Examples of Therapeutic Recreational Activities

While Recreational Therapy activities vary from client to client, below are a few examples of activities our clients participate in:

  • Hiking

  • Biking

  • Lifting Weights

  • Swimming

  • Going to Movies or Restaurants

  • Golfing

  • Fishing

  • Kayaking/Canoeing

  • Shopping

  • Concerts

  • Amusement Parks

  • Card Games & Board Games

  • Cooking Activities

  • Arts & Crafts

  • Music

  • Animal-Assisted Activities

  • Sports/Adaptive Sports

  • Archery

  • Museums

  • Video Games

  • Bowling