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Began January 1999
Agency Issues in
Therapeutic Recreation
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Can you pass this on to Charlie and have him email me? He has been a great help in the past.
The surveys on this site are a great help to see how others do things, share ideas, and be of support to each other. Thank you so much for that. May I suggest a survey for each of the following.
1) Movies - there is no standard where I work and violent movies are shown. How is it at other psychiatric hospitals and what is the standard? Have others suggest movie titles I can get access to for patients.
2) Refreshments. I've discussed this before with Charlie. Things have not changed. How do most recreation areas handle with with programming where patients are coming to their area for recreation? As hosts, it feels proper to offer at least a drink but we are told that patients shouldn't be coming for just the refreshments and they were eliminated except when there is a party. And even then, the calorie count is considered as part of dietary to only 150 calories.
3) When offering BINGO, what do people do for prizes so that the game is affordable serving four sessions of 10 winners each (40 prizes a night once a week). Do others offer food items as prizes .. we cannot. They feel food should not be a reward.
4) Participation rewards. We used to give a mini candy bar as a participation reward and it got people who didn't participate to be involved. Our hope was that extrinsic rewards would result in intrinsic rewards of wanting to do that activity later without a reward and some did .. we would see them initate involvement later in that activity. But we were told not to give anything as incentive for participation. What do others do to motivate a very institutionalized group of psychiatric patients into an activity.
5) Budgeting for prgrams .. with limited resources how do people keep supplies in stock for games and art etc? Are there places to get donations?
6) music - current music has so much profanity and violence .. what do people offer in recreation that excludes this and is there a resource to get those songs with the foul words beeped out .. what are people's favorites to play for music?
Posted by Donna
Saturday, February 11, 2012 at 11:28:14 (EST), IP Address: 18415391254
budgeting
people do not understand the preperation time needed for an event or program
anonymous
- Wednesday, August 16, 2006 at 10:41:59 (CDT), IP Address: 24399641
As a Director of T.R. in a skilled nursing facility, the most challenging part of the job is providing individualized T.R. for a facility of 304 beds and only 10 activity staff. With the new CMS guidlines in effect, nursing staff are expected to take a significant role in helping to implement activities during off hours...this is unrealistic. We're expected to meet quality of care and quality of life needs, days, evenings, and weekends, and with 10 staff to work with. (Not to mention the time it takes for documentation) This is my dilemma!
anonymous
- Tuesday, August 15, 2006 at 19:41:42 (CDT), IP Address: 2416828130
too much paperwork and meeting not enough planning time.
anonymous
- Tuesday, August 15, 2006 at 10:03:02 (CDT), IP Address: 20725087252
Not enough time in the day
anonymous
- Monday, August 14, 2006 at 12:09:10 (CDT), IP Address: 6414832190
Finding things they will join.
anonymous
- Friday, August 11, 2006 at 09:09:55 (CDT), IP Address: 21613528173
gday i am from Australia, i am currently in my third year of university doing TR and have started a part time job as a TR in a transitional care unit (for aged people waiting to be placed in a permanent nursing home or hostel) in this job there is no funding for TR activities and i have to look for donations and come up with activities from thin air,which is hard when there is no resources to play games or do craft-we don't have glue or scissors, i have just been visiting with each patient, talking and walking with them-does anyone have any ideas of what i might be able to do?
Bec
- Tuesday, August 08, 2006 at 19:39:17 (CDT), IP Address: 1371541631
Budget, and staffing. Also weak candidates answering classified ads for employment
anonymous
- Monday, August 07, 2006 at 15:08:10 (CDT), IP Address: 6414832190
There are a number of issues facing the activities professional, but we must adapt.
anonymous penoj_AT_geccenter.com
- Monday, August 07, 2006 at 13:29:14 (CDT), IP Address: 2041863143
Always trying to get ideas on activities at our Senior Citizens Center.
what to do about birthdays? Activities for the younger senior citizen.
connie
- Tuesday, August 01, 2006 at 14:24:04 (CDT), IP Address: 20933228184
Not enough time to do individualized programming. We need a better way to assess our new residents which coulc possibly help with the programming
anonymous
- Monday, July 31, 2006 at 11:18:20 (CDT), IP Address: 1231136178
Staff Moral
anonymous
- Sunday, July 30, 2006 at 13:51:18 (CDT), IP Address: 6660216245
HEllo! my biggest challange is finding intresting programs for the young senoirs. most of the activities are for much older seniors and im working with a population of 55-70 yrs of age
anonymous
- Monday, July 24, 2006 at 11:06:59 (CDT), IP Address: 66127233
Participants becomes bored very quickly
anonymous
- Monday, July 24, 2006 at 11:03:33 (CDT), IP Address: 66127233
SHORT STAFFED
anonymous
- Friday, June 30, 2006 at 12:01:11 (CDT), IP Address: 20913021338
great cooperation here, no issues
anonymous
- Thursday, June 22, 2006 at 13:00:46 (CDT), IP Address: 1592401099
none
anonymous
- Thursday, June 15, 2006 at 09:28:59 (CDT), IP Address: 6456443
I have not worked in rec therapy in a few years but having the residents ready for my activities was my biggest challenge. Thank you!
anonymous
- Monday, April 03, 2006 at 17:30:01 (CDT), IP Address: 683636230
start writting in some positive ideas on what theraputic activities have been benificial.
anonymous
Friday, July 01, 2005 at 02:39:31 (CDT)
Hello, I am a diversional therapist.I am shocked to find such a number of people writting about how they feel under valued in their occupation.I think that it is not what people do know or dont know about diversional therapy but what you get out of it yourself.I feel enriched by providing a atmospere that can enlighten a persons day.I dont feel the need to be put on a heriachy.I think if you feel undervalued you need to stop looking for credit.
anonymous
Friday, July 01, 2005 at 02:33:44 (CDT)
Downsizing companies equals budget cuts and who's budget is always looked at the easiest to be cut- Rec. therapys budget.
I'm currently going through my facily being bought out and we're losing out 14 passenger, handicap assessible lift. Nice van. I always take all my nursing home residents on nice community outings and I'm losing the van. So I'm very upset that my activities programs are greatly effected by money hungery companies that don't care about quaility of life, just have much reimbursements are they getting for that resident.
anonymous
Tuesday, June 22, 2004 at 20:36:48 (CDT)
Our profession is never going to be referred to as a "needed" service by any professionals outside of Rec Therapy. Sure, people may follow the TR model, but most practicing RT's couldn't even tell you what the TR model even is. I have worked in a wide range of settings, and never has anyone deemed Rec Therapy as a service that is crucial to the patients' treatment or recovery. And how is it? Every other profession uses the same activities we do. PT's use sports, adaptive equipment, etc.. Same with Ot's, Psych Techs, and even Social Workers. SO, no matter how much that we argue that leisure is an important part of life, it is not something that health professionals and insurance companies are going to want to pay for in a hospital or rehabilitation setting. No one is going to take any profession seriously that has the word "recreation" in the title. How are we professionals or experts at recreation?? It seems to me that we are a small branch of Occupational Therapy. I am not saying that what we do is not important, but it is silly to think that we could or deserve to be viewed the same as a PT or social worker, etc. We dont even have a universal name that we call ourselves. Activity therapist, rec therapist, therapeutic rec specialist, rehab specialist, rec leader....no wonder people don't respect us or know what we do....so don't get mad at others. If your professional title contains the word recreation or leisure, you shouldn't blame others for thinking we "play" all day, unless we can have a universal title so people can actually come to learn what we do.
anonymous
Tuesday, May 25, 2004 at 13:58:11 (CDT)
OUR PAY!!!!!!!!!!
anonymous
Tuesday, May 25, 2004 at 13:41:36 (CDT)
Lack of recognition is a big issue!
TRs are not given recognition or respect for the difference we
make in our clients' lives. Even the other professional staff
we work with don't understand WHAT it is we're good for! That
we do nothing but "play games" and "take it easy". It's much more
than that, and I wish people would be open-minded enough to try
and understand that...
D.S.
Saturday, January 17, 2004 at 18:04:43
(CST)
Young residents..Have
had an influx of residents 50 and younger wanting more things
to do. But with out sacrifing the programming and budget already
established I need ideas in how to create a program to meet their
needs.
anonymous
Tuesday, September 17, 2002 at 19:18:23
(CDT)
how about the corporations
that don't give us ANY validation?...I work at a psychatric hospital
and a "corporate memo" just arrived that has BANNED us from being
able to participate in sports activites with the patients!!! We
were obligated to SIGN A DISCLAIMER that stated we would not participate
and if we did that would be grounds for "immediate discharge from
our duties" I have been in this field since 1996 and have become
quite callused...it's seems like we RT's are ALWAYS the underdogs
and last ones to know when program changes occur! It is VERY frustratrating,
and my advocacy at work is looked upon as being "too passionate"
as my supervisor told me. My the way, she's an LCSW. Go figure!
anonymous
Tuesday, November 13, 2001 at 21:30:13 (CST)
As
a TR student, i'm beginning to take a second look at doubt with
my chosen future profession because of issues concerning TR. I
strongly believe in the benefits of TR and that this is not just
another profession that is similar to those of Activity Directors.
I feel so insulted everytime i hear stories about how a particular
facility or agency does NOT give importance to TR. I do believe
that our profession has a purpose, so do Ot's and PT's. As far
as i am concerned, recreation and leisure education is our specialty.
I do believe that nobody has a right to claim they do TR if they
do not follow the TR process which we are knowledgeable about
and not other professions. I would be insulted and frustrated
if ever OT's start taking over our job. We students do not go
to class every single day to learn new games and how to play it.
I got insulted one time when i was asked, "So what do you do,
play games?" Well, i guess that's part of our job but i do believe
that there is more to that. I just feel sorry for those who are
ignorant to look down on our profession and not look at it as
a profession itself.
anonymous
Wednesday, November 07, 2001 at 15:46:37
(CST)
i'm from australia..and
i must say that the issues are much the same here!!!!no body knows
what the hell we do.....even our managers...*we just occupy them..*we
just play games...l want to stop the winging and create solutions...lets
stand up and be counted.......lets show what we do...time to speak
up.............sorry a bit passionate at the moment..one of THOSE
days..
anonymous
Saturday, February 03, 2001 at 22:39:44
(CST)
Management expects
Recreation Therapists at our facility to run the whole damn place
and were paid $1.50 more than the cleaning staff with grade six
education. Another problem is we have an O.T. as a director that
doesn't have a sniff what Recreation Therapists do. As Recreation
Therapists you must understand that caregivers, R.N's and other
health care professionals seem to know more about recreation then
we do. I find that all the time in the facility I work in.
anonymous
Saturday, January 27, 2001 at 21:15:44 (CST)
Bogus
consultants without credentials telling administration that sheltered
worksohp activities are appropriate for Alzheimer patients. Para-professional
staff and professional staff conflicts. QA departments that are
clueless regarding TR. Low pay...great expectations.
anonymous
Friday, January 19, 2001 at 23:46:25 (CST)
have inadequate staffing and provide 1 threapuetic group a day
for men and for women. Treatment team meetings are daily lasting
about 1.5-2 hours. The patient scheudle is set up where we have
little time with the patietns for groups, equaling only 1x a day
to see the patient.
anonymous
Monday, November 08, 1999 at 11:42:47
(CST)
Some issues that
really hurt the T.R. program at the facility that I previously
worked for 6 years are - 1. Different physicians had very different
ideas about what type of activities and/or treatment that T.R.'s
should provide for their patients, this happened on a Rehab unit,
with two different physicians. 2. Other staff, Nursing, P.T.'s,
O.T.'s, S.T.'s who worked closely with T.R. did not have a very
clear understanding what T.R. was or what their job duties involved
even with ongoing education (T.R. was constrantly referred to
as the therapy that "played games and did fun stuff") 3. Co-workers
who had worked with other T.R.'s, had no clear idea of what T.R.
should do because they had seen T.R.'s do such a varience of different
things at different facilities. 4. The three T.R.'s in the facility
could not agree on the best way(s) to provide T.R. service on
different units, they all developed their own programs in different
service areas, and when covering for each other, had conflicts
when other recreation therapists would provide T.R. services in
their area. 5. The Therapy Supervisor was always someone of another
profession - P.T., O.T. or S.T. - and often felt that T.R. could
have 2 to 3 times more patients to see than the other therapists,
because what T.R. did was not very important.
anonymous
Monday, August 09, 1999 at 20:09:37 (CDT)
My current problem besides the
very low census is the facility appears to want more diversional
activities versus theraputic activities. This is difficult to
handle because the patients don't have any awareness about leisure.
Suggest leisure education? Being here in Florida one would think
that there are plenty of patients in neuroscience (geri). anyway...
what am I to do?
anonymous
Friday, May 14, 1999 at 17:51:19 (CDT)
By the way, the lay offs were
a Columbia Facility!
anonymous
Wednesday, April 07, 1999 at 23:03:21
(CDT)
Lay offs, Lay offs,
Lay offs! All the TR's in our Rehab. Center were laid off recently
(8-9 people). The administration is claiming that it is the "trend"
to not have TR professionals. They said that OT will be addressing
recreation and leisure needs. That's what is happening in Central
Texas - would love to know if it is happening anywhere else too!
anonymous
Wednesday, April 07, 1999 at 22:59:27 (CDT)
"doing
more with less," is what I hear most often. My current administration
is really interested in conducting efficacy research (for all
disciplines) and I am excited about that. I hope I am able to
advocate effectively for additional staff to maintain a high level
of service for the patients. I fear that we will have to do this
research with a "more with less" philosophy. Sad, isn't it?
anonymous
Wednesday, March 24, 1999 at 13:41:57 (CST) |
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