February is National Therapeutic Recreation Month! This is a time to celebrate the health care professionals that use research and therapeutic processes to assist patients in achieving their goals and highest quality of life.
The role of Therapeutic Recreation is to support and assist patients to develop and maintain healthy leisure lifestyle skills with the goal of community reintegration. Leisure skills can improve a person’s overall health, functional ability, and quality of life by enhancing their self-esteem, social skills, and independence.
In honor of this National Therapeutic Recreation Month, we would like to highlight some of the program Therapeutic Recreationists provide at our Hospital that leads to exceptional patient care. Thank you for all the work that you do!
Recreation Therapy in the Forensic Mental Health Unit at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre uses structured leisure and activity-based interventions to support recovery and rehabilitation for adults with serious mental illness involved in the justice system.
Working within an interdisciplinary team, Therapeutic Recreationists provide goal-oriented programs—such as art, physical activity, and skill-building groups—to enhance coping skills, emotional well-being, social functioning, and successful community reintegration.
