Therapeutic Recreation Month - Meet Rayel
What is your name and what is your position at Green Acres Foundation?
I am Rayel and I’m a recreation therapist.
How long have you worked at Green Acres?
I first started as a summer labourer in 2017, then resident services in 2020. I was a recreation assistant/activity coordinator in 2021, and am now in my current position, recreation therapist since 2022.
How would you describe the occupation of a recreation therapist to someone who has never heard of it?
A therapy process that uses recreation, leisure, play and other activities to improve or maintain people’s physical, emotional, social, cognitive and spiritual function. In other words, we use recreation and leisure to help achieve goals to better enhance a person’s lifestyle.
Why is recreation therapy important for seniors?
Recreation therapy allows seniors to socialize, stimulate their brains, and participate in activities that help build overall health and self-confidence. Recreation reduces loneliness and give the resident something to look forward to. It connects our residents in ways otherwise unattainable. Recreations helps to maintain skills developed over a lifetime of living.
What do you love most about your job?
My favourite part of my job is watching residents achieve their goals and grow in ways they otherwise had no idea they could.
Any activities that were successful or unique that you would like to share?
Recently in our memory care, a small group of residents sat and played a game with each other for an hour and a half with minimal interruptions. This group normally wanders and like to keep busy so the fact that they sat that long with each other was incredible. Another thing I’ve been working on with our residents in memory care is music therapy to counteract disruptive behaviors such as calling out and hallucinations. This is a slow process but has so far shown some success.
Since February is Recreation Therapy Month, is there anything you would like to share or add to the conversation?
Recreation therapy is a very rewarding career. There is an awareness month for recreation therapy because it is an unfamiliar career with many barriers to practice. An entire month gives us time to advocate for our profession and expand the knowledge of others. If you know a recreation therapist/specialist give them a little extra love. They work hard to make the lives of others better, more rewarding and meaningful.
“If you know a recreation therapist/specialist give them a little extra love. They work hard to make the lives of others better, more rewarding and meaningful. ”
