Importance of Recreation Therapy
In any personal care home setting there is a team of health care professionals that represent the various disciplines required to ensure the health of the residents. Some of these disciplines include nursing, health care aides, occupational therapy, physical therapy, nutrition, housekeeping, spiritual care and recreation.
Each member of this interdisciplinary team is important in their own way to maximize resident care. Nursing staff is essential in providing the medical needs of the residents, working closely with the doctors, pharmacists and specialists.
Health care aids (HCA) are needed to assist our residents in all regular acts of daily living. This includes hygiene, elimination, meal assistance and transfers etc. Imagine if you only had movement in the right side of your body due to a severe stroke. How difficult would it be to get up in the morning from your bed, take a shower, brush your teeth and then get dressed to prepare for the day all by yourself? Now, imagine if you were 90 years old? Pretty difficult isn’t it? HCA’s play a very important role in the interdisciplinary team.
Physical therapists are important in maintaining and/or improving the residents’ physical range of motion. The occupational therapists are essential in developing adaptive techniques and devices that help maintain resident independence in regular acts of daily living and mobility.
The dietician works alongside the dietary aides together to provide healthy meals and promote nutritional health. The housekeeping staff ensures a clean environment, which is important especially with our residents who have compromised immune systems or are at high risk for infections. Spiritual care is also an asset in ensuring that our residents receive pastoral nourishment upon their request. Now what is the importance of recreation? Is it really a mandatory discipline? What would happen if recreation were completely removed?
There’s a long answer and a short answer to these questions.
Each member of this interdisciplinary team is important in their own way to maximize resident care. Nursing staff is essential in providing the medical needs of the residents, working closely with the doctors, pharmacists and specialists.
Health care aids (HCA) are needed to assist our residents in all regular acts of daily living. This includes hygiene, elimination, meal assistance and transfers etc. Imagine if you only had movement in the right side of your body due to a severe stroke. How difficult would it be to get up in the morning from your bed, take a shower, brush your teeth and then get dressed to prepare for the day all by yourself? Now, imagine if you were 90 years old? Pretty difficult isn’t it? HCA’s play a very important role in the interdisciplinary team.
Physical therapists are important in maintaining and/or improving the residents’ physical range of motion. The occupational therapists are essential in developing adaptive techniques and devices that help maintain resident independence in regular acts of daily living and mobility.
The dietician works alongside the dietary aides together to provide healthy meals and promote nutritional health. The housekeeping staff ensures a clean environment, which is important especially with our residents who have compromised immune systems or are at high risk for infections. Spiritual care is also an asset in ensuring that our residents receive pastoral nourishment upon their request. Now what is the importance of recreation? Is it really a mandatory discipline? What would happen if recreation were completely removed?
There’s a long answer and a short answer to these questions.