| American Journal of Recreation Therapy ® | ||||||||||||
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Publications American Journal of Disaster Medicine Opioid Management
Society Journal of Neurodegeneration & Regeneration Activities Directors' Quarterly for Alzheimer's & Other Dementia Patients American Journal of Recreation Therapy |
Winter 2010; pages 7-8
Winter 2010; pages 9-14 Abstract The literature reports no studies that sought to determine which professional group (certified therapeutic recreation therapist versus certified activity director) achieves fewer survey deficiencies in the skilled nursing facility. This article will examine the scant and dated literature that is available to demonstrate which of these activity professionals has superior outcomes specific to the OBRA ’87 requirements. The article concludes with an articulation of the need for the discipline of recreation therapy to involve itself in outcomes research specific to which of the two disciplines better achieves the objectives of OBRA ’87. Key words: activity professional, long-term care, nursing home, CMS DOI: 10.5055/ajrt.2010.0001
Winter 2010; pages 15-25 Abstract Informal caregivers, who provide unpaid care for family or friends, often experience numerous threats to their psychological well-being as a result of providing care. This study compared a traditional physical activity (mall walking, MW) to an alternative therapeutic intervention (mindfulness-based stress reduction, MBSR) to examine the impact on the psychological well-being of informal caregivers. While both groups experienced a decrease in psychological well-being, caregivers in the MBSR group experienced fewer exacerbations in depressive symptoms and subjective burden when compared with caregivers in the MW group. It is possible that mindfulness techniques may provide some protection against the exacerbation of negative effects on caregivers’ psychological wellbeing. The use of MBSR as a therapeutic intervention in therapeutic recreation practice may be warranted, but requires further study. Key words: informal caregivers, psychological well-being, mindfulness-based stress reduction, walking DOI: 10.5055/ajrt.2010.0002
Winter 2010; pages 27-34 Abstract The purpose of this article is to present an overview of a theory of human flourishing and to outline how the theory can guide therapeutic recreation specialists as they strive to improve the lives of people with disabilities and illnesses. According to the theory, a flourishing life is marked by excelling in one or more leisure practices, authoring a coherent personal narrative, formulating and pursuing a meaningful telos, negotiating traditions, and acting virtuously. These constituent elements are described and then quad rugby is used to illustrate how a particular leisure practice contributes to flourish through its effects on each element. The article concludes with tasks that therapeutic recreation specialists should undertake to promote flourishing in people with disabilities and illnesses. Key words: narrative, practice, telos, tradition, virtues DOI: 10.5055/ajrt.2010.0003
Winter 2010; pages 35-47 Abstract The primary purpose of this study was to examine sociobehavioral characteristics [ie, leisure time activities, free time boredom (FTB), and aggressive behavioral tendencies] of at-risk youth in an area of general poverty. The participants of this study were attendees of an after-school program provided by a local social service agency, and the majority of the participants was African American (n = 75, 87.2 percent). This study examined their leisure participation patterns as well as barriers to leisure participation and desired facilities in the area. This study also revealed the participants’ perceived FTB level and aggressive behavioral tendencies. This article, lastly, suggests guidelines for therapeutic recreation practitioners who work with youth at-risk in poverty areas. Key words: leisure time activities, free time boredom, aggressive behavioral tendencies, at-risk youth DOI: 10.5055/ajrt.2010.0004 American Journal of Recreation Therapy Spring 2010, Volume 9, Number 2
Spring 2010; pages 5-6
Spring 2010; pages 7-12 Abstract Kayaking is a fun outdoor recreational activity well known by many. Often times, people assume that kayaking is too dangerous and risky for individuals with disabilities to participate. Kayaking can be adapted either through adaptation of the actual kayak, paddle, and/or assistive devices to allow various individuals to partake. With shared enjoyment of kayaking, apparent differences between participants become insignificant. Adaptive kayaking is rarely considered as a useful therapeutic intervention to be used by recreational therapist, but upon involvement can produce benefits such as increased self-esteem, increased upper body strength, learned adjustment to new situations, increased independence, and many more. This article will address the benefits, barriers, and future research of adaptive kayaking. Key words: adaptive kayaking, recreational therapy, therapeutic recreation, physical disabilities
Spring 2010; pages 13-20 Abstract The purpose of this article is to explore the role of recreational therapy within a medical home model. Medical home is a movement to manage the care of individuals with complex and chronic health needs through their primary care physician and the physician’s team. The concepts of medical home are discussed. These concepts are the same as those on which recreational therapists have been trained. This article demonstrates the various ways in which recreational therapists can meet the challenges posed by serving individuals with chronic disease. The medical home model provides a rare opportunity for recreational therapists to combine clinical skills with community skills to meet the needs of those individuals in the community with chronic and complex needs. This article demonstrates that recreational therapists are already engaged and invested in this model. What is lacking is the promotion of skills and services of the recreational therapists to market and communicate this to primary care providers. Key words: medical home, recreational therapy, chronic disease management
Spring 2010; pages 21-32 Abstract A previous study1found that therapeutic recreation (TR) students are more heavily engaged in a variety of alcohol-related activities than are other recreation major students. Thus, the main purpose of this study was to provide both educators in TR and TR professionals in practice with more information about alcohol use among TR students. First, this study examined the participants’ perceptions on the benefits of alcohol use. The study results were compared with the perceived benefits that are reported by other recreation students and general public in the United States. This study further examined beliefs and attitudes about alcohol use among TR students. As supplemental data, the participants’ attitudes were compared with those of other recreation students (ie, outdoor, community, and commercial).Key words: alcohol use, attitudes about alcohol, perceived benefits of alcohol use
Spring 2010; pages 33-39 Abstract As the military medical trauma care system continues to improve and become more effective at preserving the lives of veterans wounded in combat, recreation therapists are con-fronted with an increasing number of individuals facing rehabilitation for complex injuries that were once fatal. This article explores the literature surrounding the use of sports programming in improving self-efficacy perceptions among individuals with physical disabilities. In addition, the relationship between improved self-efficacy perceptions and attitudes toward rehabilitation will be examined. Grounded in the existing evidence, implications for the therapeutic recreation treatment process are presented. Key words: self-efficacy, rehabilitation, sport, disability, recreation therapy, veterans
Spring 2010; pages 41-45 Abstract The benefits of autonomy have long been studied. This article seeks to explicate the importance of autonomy in nursing home facilities and the effect that autonomy can have on the quality of life of the residents in these long-term facilities. Autonomy is crucial in these facilities because of the impact it has on self-determination and intrinsic motivation. The benefits that come from these principles include increased participation, decreased depressive symptoms, and increased quality of life among residents. Although the importance of autonomy in nursing homes may seem elementary for many practitioners, efforts to promote autonomy are not commonly operationalized. It is important to revisit this topic because there will be an increasing number of older Americans in the years to come and it has direct implications for recreation therapy service delivery. Key words: autonomy, participation, nursing homes, self-determination theory, intrinsic motivation, recreation therapy |
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