Use Recreational Therapy for Physical and Mental Health

Seniors can participate in recreational therapy programs to benefit their mental and physical health at the same time. Of course, getting some movement throughout your day can help you maintain strength and physical health. But it also helps you fight the symptoms of several mental illnesses, including depression and anxiety.

What Is Recreational Therapy?

Recreational therapy isn’t just activity. Instead, a recreational therapy program is created to serve an individual’s unique needs. It’s all about how you, or your senior loved one, can lead a healthier, higher quality life. Senior caregivers plan out the recreational activities after discussing the senior’s needs, conditions, and physical and mental abilities.

What Might Recreational Therapy Involve?

Though hard physical activity might come to mind when you think “recreational therapy,” your program doesn’t have to involve any high-impact exercise at all. It all depends on what you want and need. Any of the following activities might be part of a recreational therapy programs:

• Games: A little competition is fun and healthy. Senior’s cognition, social skills, and emotional health all benefit from being part of a team, and challenging themselves to game, whether it’s cards or bowling.
• Technology: Technology can really benefit senior’s lives, if they know how to use it. Many recreational therapy programs and now teaching seniors how to use the technologies they will enjoy.
• Arts and crafts: Art is emotional and helps us get in touch with good feelings. It engages our creativity, and even our memory. Crafts of all kinds can enrich senior’s lives from clay sculpting to painting.
• Current events: For seniors who have eyesight or co-ordination issues, accessing the news about the things they care about, from their community to pop culture, becomes difficult. Some recreational therapy programs seek to help seniors reconnect with current events, by reading the news aloud or helping them read the news in more accessible formats.

Found something you want to include in your recreational therapy program? Our staff are flexible and sensitive to your needs, so just let them know if there is something new you want to try.

Try Recreational Therapy From iCare

All kinds of seniors can benefit from a recreational therapy program, both physically and mentally. If you want well-rounded care for yourself or your senior loved one, include a recreational therapy program in your senior care plan. Our staff can customize your program to help you improve functional ability, social life, or mood.