1. What is Therapeutic Recreation? Megan Gonzales

2. Recreation Therapy is… Developing cooperative relationships between: ~ therapist & client ~client & client Using recreation and leisure to improve health and overall well-being Helping clients help themselves

3. Who Do We Serve? Children and adults with physical, cognitive, social, and emotional disabilities that create barriers to their recreation Examples: Children with Intellectual Disabilities, Seniors with Alzheimer’s, Veterans, Adults and Children with Psychological Disorders, Children and Adults who have been convicted of a crime Stumbo & Peterson, 2004

4. Where Do We Work? Hospitals Veteran’s Administration Rehabilitation Facilities Long-Term Care Mental Health Facilities Correctional Facilities Residential Facilities Special Recreation Associations Special Olympics Addiction Treatment Centers Stumbo & Peterson, 2004

5. What We Do & How We Do It We help clients… Increase Social Skills Increase Emotional control Increase Leisure Skills Increase Cognitive Abilities Improve Communication Increase Leisure Knowledge Community Re-entry We do this with… Group Activities Feeling Management Introduction of New Activities Games Relationship Building Education Community Trips

6. Why is TR Important? Everyone deserves leisure. Some people have barriers to their leisure. Therapeutic Recreation Specialists can help those with barriers reach their leisure goals and improve their lives.

7. Someone close to our hearts… Timmy

8. Getting to Know Him Timmy is a 10 year old boy with Down Syndrome. He has 2 older siblings: a sister who is 20 and a brother who is 12. Recreation prior to TR services: shadowing his older brother First TR exposure: Special Recreation Tee-Ball at Oak Lawn Park District with his cousin who also has a disability

9. Effects of 1 st TR Experience Meeting other children with disabilities Finding a place to fit in Learning appropriate sports behavior Learning new activity skills Increased his desire for more activities like this Led to participation in Special Olympics Basketball and SRA bowling

10. Continuing TR Services After completing TR sports activities, Timmy began attending SWSRA Summer Day Camp Here he was exposed to new environments, people, and activities In the process of learning more social skills and appropriateness Continues to compete in adaptive sports including the 2007 Special Olympics Basketball Competition

11. Pair-Share Everyone please say one benefit they see in Timmy that you feel is due to his TR experiences Share any other TR stories you may have. Share how recreation has affected your life and if you feel it is important Any questions for me?