University Presentation Showcase: Graduate Poster Gallery
Preview
Creation Date
2021
Major
Recreation Therapy
Department
Recreation and Park Administration
Degree
Graduate
Mentor
Brian G. Clark, Ed. D.
Mentor Department
Recreation and Park Administration
Abstract
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “26% of adults in the United States have some type of disability” (2020). That is 61 million people (CDC, 2020)! People with disabilities may face physical, social, and/or cognitive barriers as a result of their disabilities. It is common knowledge that exercise and recreational activity can positively affect one’s physical, social, and cognitive health and well-being; however, all too often the barriers faced by people with disabilities hinder their ability to participate in exercise and recreational activity. This is where recreational therapy comes in to play. According to the American Therapeutic Recreation Association, “Recreational therapy, also known as therapeutic recreation, is a systematic process that utilizes recreation and other activity-based interventions to address the assessed needs of individuals with illnesses and/or disabling conditions, as a means to psychological and physical health, recovery and well-being” (n.d.). The purpose of this study was to compare the activity levels of people with disabilities in the U.S. with therapeutic recreation programming. Several articles were analyzed, and suggestions were made to potentially help meet the needs of individuals with disabilities through therapeutic recreation programming.
