OUR SERVICESby Fred Greenblatt, MS, CTRS, MPA
Recreation is important to promoting well-being and maintaining elders’ capacities. Recreation helps the elderly to:
- use their strengths
- maintain positive attitudes
- find meaning in their lives
Recreation programs exist for long term, short term, and specialized dementia services. The ideal recreation program for a frail elder is developed based upon the person’s age and his or her physical, cognitive, psychosocial, affective, and rehabilitation needs.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Why is participation in recreation important?
What kinds of recreation programs are there?
Why is participation in recreation important?
Unlike many other services provided to the frail elderly, recreation is not a cure in itself. However, recreation participation has significant benefits, including increased self-esteem, improved social skills, a sense of meaning and accomplishment, and a variety of other benefits.
Recreation helps satisfy the needs of the “total” person, including their physical, social, emotional, and spiritual well-being.
What kinds of recreation programs are there?
There are many recreation programs available for older adults, and they most often vary by the capabilities of the population they serve. Major programs are: Senior Centers, Social Adult Day Programs, and Adult Day Health Programs.
Senior Centers are run by the New York City Department for the Aging, who can provide a list of all operating centers. These centers offer a variety of programs, including discussion groups, knitting clubs, exercise groups, movies, guest lectures on topics of choice, trips to Atlantic city, and art classes. There are no fees to participate in activities or receive lunches, although a small fixed contribution is requested for the meal (usually the fee is around $1.00).
Social Adult Day Programs are typically run by social service agencies, and provide social and recreational activities for a few hours on certain days. Many Social Adult Day Programs charge participants per-session, and some offer sliding-scale fees. Learn more about the Jewish Home’s Social Adult Day Programs.
Adult Day Health Programs are licensed by the New York State Department of Health. They typically provide medical and rehabilitative services in addition to recreation and food. For eligible individuals, Medicaid will cover participation in an Adult Day Health Program, as well as transportation to and from the program. Learn more about the Jewish Home’s Adult Day Health Programs.
What is recreation therapy?
Some impaired persons may require specialized treatment or remediation in order for them to enjoy a meaningful leisure experience, and professional intervention is required. The purpose of recreation therapy is to improve those functional behaviors which inhibit leisure involvement. Recreation therapy focuses upon defined treatment goals that allow the therapist to help the individual identify problems and improve his or her ability to participate in activities.
What is leisure education?
Leisure education involves learning more about leisure activities, and how they may be meaningful to an individual. It also seeks to enhance attitudes concerning the value and importance of leisure. Through this educational process, the senior can re-develop old skills or learn new skills and find new sources of enjoyment. Leisure education is especially important to those who may feel they are too old or sick to participate in meaningful activities.
What happens if an individual refuses to participate in activities?
Refusal to participate in activities is not uncommon. Although a person cannot be forced to participate in activities, an experienced recreation therapist’s continued encouragement and leisure education will help guide a person to those activities in which he/she may find satisfaction. Also, the therapist can shed light on the unnecessary barriers which may be hindering him or her from participating in activities.
RESOURCES
- Jewish Home Lifecare’s Adult Day Centers
Manhattan (212) 870-5091
Bronx (718) 410-1220
Westchester (914) 864-5650
- Jewish Home Lifecare’s Alzheimer’s Day Center
Manhattan (212) 870-5091
Bronx (718) 410-1220
Westchester (914) 864-5650
- Jewish Home Lifecare’s Adult Day Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired
(718) 410-1502
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Fred Greenblatt, MS, CTRS, MPA (Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist) is the Director of Therapeutic Recreation at Jewish Home Lifecare, Bronx Division. He has been at Jewish Home for the past 42 years and is the author of two books, “Therapeutic Recreation for Long Term Care Facilities” used as a college text and “Drama with the Elderly.” He has over 30 years experience in Therapeutic Recreation and he founded the New York State Therapeutic Recreation Association (NYSTRA) in 1994 which now has over 400 members state wide. Mr. Greenblatt has written other articles on Therapeutic Recreation and has taught as an adjunct lecturer in Recreation and Gerontology at the Lehman College in the Bronx.