Senior Living communities are flourishing hubs for our aging population, filled with professionals that aim to ensure the daily lives of those within the communities are thriving and obtaining the best services possible.
In senior living, there are domains of wellness that are always being addressed within the care team from nursing to recreation. Within senior care communities, there is always recreation staff on hand to provide large and small group activity programs. Recreation Directors are dealt the hand of creating meaningful programming for all residents, in all stages of life. And sometimes, they might need a little help! We cannot expect a single person to do it all, and outside services can aid in closing the gaps of service within the domain of leisure services in senior living spaces.
An organization can decide to outsource recreation therapy (RT) services for a variety of reasons. But they might think it’s only appropriate for large group programming. That is not true! A professional within a senior living community, most likely the recreation director or wellness/nursing director, can refer to Empower Recreational Therapy to provide individual RT sessions for a variety of reasons including, but not limited to:
· Those residents not attending and/or engaging in community activities
· Socially isolated residents
· Aid in overcoming barriers to leisure (i.e., depression, motivation, acclimation)
· Assist in developing independent leisure skills
· Dementia-related behaviors that restrict leisure participation
. Residents who refuse conventional therapy services (i.e., PT, OT, ST)
Empower RT can also offer specifically tailored group programming based on community needs and interests. These programs are not diversional activities meant as a one-size-fits-all but are developed based on the assessed needs of your residents. Programs are evidence-based and aim to address specific goals for all within the group.
· Delay The Disease: Weekly classes that empower people with Parkinson’s with symptom-specific exercises that promote physical, cognitive, and emotional outcomes.
· Brain Fitness: Classes that focus on cognitive abilities through scientifically proven novel-enriched activities to promote cognitive stimulation and growth.
· Expressive Therapy Services: Classes that focus on art, music, and dance to stimulate the creative side in your residents and improve leisure participation and behavior management. Goals in the program will be tailored to specific resident needs.
. Adaptive Outdoor Recreation: Classes that facilitate meaningful active, outdoor recreation activity, such as outdoor handcycling, for ALL ability levels.
When an organization decides to outsource recreation therapy services, they not only get comprehensive assessments on their residents, individual RT sessions, and group programming; Empower RT also offers staff training and educational in-services. Empower RT can aid facility staff in dementia communication training, symptom and behavioral management, and provide resources for adapting activities for all residents in an array of life stages.
Empower RT is here to assist senior living communities and their residents thrive in their environments and engaging in leisure regardless of abilities, disease progression, or skill. Every resident needs a purpose. By outsourcing recreation therapy services, an organization can showcase its belief in providing the best care and services possible for all residents in their care. Together, we can empower seniors in their leisure lives.
To learn more about what Empower RT can provide to your organization visit us here:
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