Effective Therapeutic
Recreation Programs:
Veterans with TBI , PTSD, and
Polytrauma
Objectives
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Define Recreation vs.
Therapeutic Recreation
Outline concepts of participant
selection
Communicate program goals
Outline factors in effective
groups
Highlight the importance of
supporter inclusion
Achievement of program goals
through therapeutic initiatives
Facilitation of long term benefits
Recreation vs.
Therapeutic Recreation
Recreation: activity that refreshes and rejuvenates,
activity that renews your health and spirits by
enjoyment and relaxation
Therapeutic Recreation: treatment service
designed to restore, remediate and rehabilitate a
person’s level of functioning and independence in life
activities, to promote health and wellness as well as
reduce or eliminate the activity limitations and
restrictions to participation in life situations caused by
an illness or disabling condition
Program Goals
o Learning or re-learning sports and recreational activities
o Raising self-confidence and independence
o Strengthening relationships with peers and supporters
o Enhancing stress management and coping skills
o Connecting veterans to recreation and other needed services in
their home community
o Encouraging veterans to apply the skills learned at the camp to
other areas of their lives: work, school, family, health, and
community
o Providing long term benefits through follow-up, reintegration
programs, and peer support system
Considerations in
Selecting Participants
Qualifying Criteria:
•Purple Heart, 100% rating, etc…
• Physical injury vs. TBI PTSD
Challenges with Claims/Awards:
• Lack of Homogeny
• TBI/PTSD and qualifying for awards
• Struggles between entities
• Serving the highest need
The Importance of Assessment:
•Qualified Staff
• Thorough vetting process
Creating A New Unit
Application and Rating
oThe personal touch
o Assessing your clients
oWaiting until they’re Ready
Finding Commonalities
o Catering to client needs
o Relationship Status
o Injury Type
o Gender
o Deployment
Group Dynamics
o Small group (6-10)
o Leadership
oVarying Stages of Recovery
Creating A New Unit
Initiating a sense of unity
o Focusing on the Value of Peer Support
o Ceremony in Joining the Unit
o Accountability
Including Military
Tradition
o Speaking the language
o Structure in the daily routine
o Officer vs. Enlisted
Symbolism in the Uniform
o Unit Jacket
o Unique Patch
o Flag
Caring for the
Caregiver
Including the Supporter
o
o
Spouse
Family member or friend
Education
o
o
o
Disability awareness
Communication
Self Care
New Role as Caregiver
PTSD Correlation
Therapeutic Focus
Daily Themes
o
Bonds Win Battles: Recognize the value of peer support
o
Live Your Passion: Identify the benefit of recreation in daily life
o
I AM Valued: Affirm values in yourself and what others value
about you
o
Healing Tools : Learning what triggers stress and the tools
available to alleviate it
o
Taking it Home: Reflect on the accomplishments of the week,
and develop a plan for using the lessons from camp to go
forward in recovery
Therapeutic Initiatives
Driving Home the Daily Theme
o Morning Theme Introduction
o Instructor and volunteer support
o Dinner questions
o Journaling
o Separate daily debrief
Other Therapeutic Initiatives
o Split day and night
o Team building
o Stretching and breathing
o Token economy
o Letters from loved ones
oOn your own night
Intimacy
o
o
o
Creating a Conducive
Atmosphere
Avoid the revolving door – instructors and volunteers
Keep staff to a minimum
Separate time
Social Functions
o
o
o
Avoid the BIG crowds
Provide an escape
Progressive social oportunities
Media
o
o
Participation by choice
Program promotion vs. Exploitation
Carrying the Momentum Home
Three year follow-up
o Creating a social network
o Scheduled calls
o Pay it forward
Resources at home
and beyond
o Recreation resources
o Other resources
o Collaborating
o Setting up for success
Reintegration
o Recreation Interview
o Setting Goals
o Allocating a budget
Proving Efficacy
Collaboration with Universities
o
o
o
o
Goals
Responsibilities and expectations
Contract
Publications
Participant Compliance
o
o
Instilling a sense of duty
Pairing with follow-up
Report
o
o
Therapist summaries
Program evaluations
Higher Ground Results
Category
PRE
Camp
POST
Camp
Increase
Category
PRE Camp
POST
Camp
Decrease
Self Confidence
3.167
4.133
19.32%
Reduction of PTSD
63.18
46.22
19.95%
Vigor
11.88
17.28
21.6%
Isolation
25.96
17.81
19.32%
Perceived Benefit of
Sports
37
59
31.43%
Re- experiencing
trauma
17.77
13.51
17.04%
Post Traumatic Growth
69.92
78.51
8%
Hypervigilance
19.44
14.88
18.24%
Perceived
Competence in
Sports
15.27
20.2
17.6%
Fatigue
16.28
13.39
11.56%
Contact Information
For Information About Higher Ground
www.hgvets.org
Or Contact Bert Gillette, CTRS
PH: (208)726-9298x6
Email: bert@svasp.org
Higher Ground is a Program of
Sun Valley Adaptive Sports