Therapeutic recreation specialists work with patients with mental, physical, or emotional difficulties to restore their independence and self-management. They perform four main functions: assessment, plan development, implementation, and documentation. A college degree in recreation therapy or physical therapy is usually required, and NCTRC certification is required by most employers. The treatment plan is designed to meet specific skill levels and goals, and a variety of activities can be used to engage the client. The approach used to implement the treatment plan varies, depending on the client’s problems, level of family support, and interpersonal skills.
A therapeutic recreation specialist works with patients with mental, physical, or emotional difficulties. Through a carefully planned series of exercises and activities, a therapist works to restore clients’ independence and self-management. The therapeutic recreation specialist works with clients in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, mental health centers and in private practice. Most clients are referred by a psychiatrist or social worker.
There are four main functions performed by a therapeutic recreation specialist: assessment, plan development, implementation, and documentation. To become a therapeutic recreation specialist, a college degree in recreation therapy or physical therapy is usually required. National Board of Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC) certification is required by most employers.
Most therapeutic recreation specialists are part of a medical services team. The first meeting with a new client involves a review of the patient’s history, discussion with the primary care physician about the issues that need to be addressed, and a brief meeting with the client. A recreation specialist analyzes patients’ interests, hobbies, or abilities and builds on these items to develop a therapy program. For example, a therapist might teach a stroke victim with partial paralysis. The activity can be completed with the functional side and then expanded to the paralyzed side.
At the beginning of the program, the therapist will perform a series of diagnostic tests to measure the level of mobility, strength and interest. This information is used to form a baseline for measuring growth. The items measured depend on the patient and their concerns.
For example, a patient suffering from severe depression may be very quiet, responding in single-word responses. A patient with motor control problems may not be able to move forward in a straight line. The measure of progress is based on each patient’s individual accomplishments over a specified period of time.
The treatment plan is designed to meet specific skill levels and goals. A variety of activities can be used to engage the client, introduce variety, and focus on different muscle groups. Alternating between individual and group activities increases variety and helps with the recovery process.
The approach used to implement the treatment plan varies, depending on the client’s problems, level of family support, and interpersonal skills. Many therapists use a low-key approach, with an invitation to join in an ongoing activity with a family member or group of other patients. Some therapists provide a detailed plan to the support team but do not share it with the patient. The level of participation, success, and failure of different options and techniques should be documented and discussed with the patient’s care team. This type of review measures the effectiveness of the therapy.
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