Recreation Therapy

Recreation therapy provides meaningful support to individuals as they strive to improve their lives through leisure. We value individuality and the freedom to choose leisure experiences according to personal interests. Together, we explore opportunities for personal growth and development, meeting and helping others, building self-confidence and a sense of belonging.

Recreation therapy works in a variety of care programs at Sunnybrook, in both inpatient and outpatient settings, including the Garry Hurvitz Brain Sciences Centre, the Geriatric Day Hospital, the Veterans Centre, the Holland Centre and the Reactivation Care Centre.

Practice

Therapeutic recreation is a “process that utilizes functional intervention, leisure education and recreation participation to enable persons with physical, cognitive, emotional and/or social limitations to acquire and/or maintain the skills, knowledge and behaviours that will allow them to enjoy their leisure optimally” (Therapeutic Recreation Ontario).

Individuals may be involved in recreation therapy programs for a number of reasons. Specific therapeutic goals are determined by you, your family members, team members and the recreation therapist. Below are some of the goals commonly addressed in recreation therapy:

• Meeting others
  Through involvement in recreation therapy, you can create opportunities to meet others. It feels good to find out you have something in common with someone new and to connect with others.
• Helping others
  By helping each other, we feel better about ourselves and we build a stronger community.
• Being yourself
  You can express and be yourself through meaningful leisure experiences based on what matters most to you.
• Believing in yourself
  When exploring your past leisure interests and their importance to you, you can find new ways to get involved.
• Feeling like you belong
  Through involvement in recreation therapy, you can develop relationships which foster a feeling of comfort and belonging in your community.
• Developing yourself
  In recreation therapy, opportunities are available to develop yourself through leisure interests.
• Respecting others
  By honoring everyone's unique qualities and accepting them for who they are, we begin to appreciate and learn from each other.

Education

Recreation therapists at Sunnybrook participate in the education of recreation therapy interns, students, fellow recreation therapists, interprofessional staff, patients/residents and their families, the general public and the community.

Practice-based research

Recreation therapists at Sunnybrook are involved in research to make sure the care they provide is based on the best evidence possible. Past publications have included the development of our Quality Indicators, a Resident-Driven Program Evaluation, and exploring therapeutic relationships.