| Background: Therapeutic Recreation Services at Baycrest Health Sciences created a prototype for recreation and activities that provide residents in long term care with opportunities for meaningful engagement in a spontaneous format.
Purpose: To determine the impact of trained volunteers providing spontaneous activities for residents.
Methods: Observations of residents’ social engagement and affect were rated before and after the intervention of volunteers providing spontaneous activities. Volunteers completed pre and post surveys. Focus groups were held with the staff and volunteers.
Results: Ratings revealed a significant increase (p < .001) from the volunteer spontaneous activities compared with the pre control group in social interest, active and passive participation and pleasure. There was a significant decrease (p < .001) in disengagement and negative affect. A major finding of the focus group was activity levels depend on appreciating the resident’s potential.
Conclusion: Volunteer activity significantly and dramatically creates higher engagement by the residents.
Hirshfeld, Karen1, Lau, Vicki1; Corey, Erin1, Sternhill, Janis2, Berall, Anna3, Karuza, Jurgis3
1Therapeutic Recreation, Baycrest Health Sciences, Toronto, Ontario, 2Volunteer Services, Baycrest Health Sciences, Toronto, Ontario, 3Program Evaluation, Baycrest Health Sciences, Toronto, Ontario. |