The Importance Of Diversional And Recreational Therapy In Aotearoa New Zealand

On the 18th September 1992 the New Zealand Society of Diversional and Recreational Therapists Incorporated (NZSDRT Inc.) was incorporated under the Incorporated Societies Act 1908. Since then, every 18th of September we celebrate our National Diversional and Recreational Therapy Day followed by six days known as National Diversional and Recreational Therapy Awareness Week. During this week, Diversional and Recreational Therapy professionals all over Aotearoa celebrate and raise awareness of the importance of the role we play in the New Zealand Health Care System.

This year, we celebrate 30th years of National Diversional and Recreational Therapy in our country. Diversional and Recreational Therapy is a very important healthcare profession that involves the organisation, design, coordination and implementation of person centred therapeutic recreational programmes.

Diversional and Recreation therapy practitioners work with people of all ages, cultures, and abilities to design and facilitate leisure and recreation programmes. Meaningful activities are designed to support, challenge and enhance the psychological, spiritual, social, emotional and physical wellbeing of individuals.

The Diversional and Recreation Therapist provides opportunities for individuals to choose to participate in leisure and recreation activities which promote self-esteem and personal fulfilment. The Diversional and Recreation Therapist facilitates individual client choice, decision making and participation when developing and managing recreational programmes.

During the pandemic, Diversional and Recreational Therapists, in particular those working in Aged Care, played a vital role in ensuring that in particular the psychosocial and emotional needs of people living in retirement villages, care homes, hospitals, dementia care, palliative care and the end of life, wasn’t compromised.

Studies show that social isolation, loneliness and the lack of meaningful cognitive stimulation, increases the risk of mental health issue, higher mortality, dementia and suicide, but on the other hand access to social connections, meaningful engagement e.g., purposeful activities, enhances people’s quality of life and overall wellbeing – an area which Diversional and Recreational Therapists are skilled on. Diversional and Recreational Therapist unique understanding of a person holistic needs, as well as understanding the needs of our communities, make us an integral part the solution in the fight against social isolation, loneliness, dementia, and many other health related illnesses. Diversional and Recreational Therapists focus on humanistic application that truly benefits the client.

If you know a Diversional and Recreational Therapist, we would like to invite you to acknowledge them and to celebrate them on the 18th September, the same way we celebrate other health care professionals throughout the year, as they are equally important for our health care system.

My hope is that one day, everything that is currently encompassed “as health” such as exercise, a healthy diet, access to medication, will also encompass prescribing dancing, listening to music, playing games, walking in nature or facilitating meaningful connections. Access to professional therapeutic recreation services, are equally essential for a person health and wellbeing, and access to recreation is a Human Right.

Orquidea Tamayo Mortera

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