BUSINESS CASE:HIRING A RECREATION THERAPIST

BUSINESS CASE AUTHORS:COURTNEY BARTMAN & MAIKE KURTZE

WHAT IS THERAPEUTIC RECREATION?

Therapeutic Recreation is a process that utilizes treatment, education and recreation participation to enable persons with physical, cognitive, emotional and/or social limitations to acquire and/or maintain the skills, knowledge and behaviors that will allow them to enjoy their leisure optimally, and function independently with the least amount of assistance and participate as fully as possible in society (BCTRA, 2009).

GOALS & OBJECTIVES

Goal:    Increase the amount of Recreation Therapists

hired yearly in British Columbia

Objectives: Increase public awareness of the profession Increase the number of clients receiving

Recreation Therapy services Increase employers knowledge of the

benefits of Recreation Therapy

CLIENT DEMAND It was estimated that 14% of these British Columbians

had a disability, making their 530,130 individuals with a disability

There are approximately 4 000 collective dwelling facilities in B.C. to meet client demand

32% of children aged 5 to 14 with a disability were reported by their parents as experiencing emotional, psychological or behavioral conditions that limit their activities

More than 10% of adults have activity limitations related to pain or discomfort

Mobility is the largest determinant of activity level among adults with a disability, which emphasizes the importance of access to therapeutic recreation activities in B.C.

in 2001 over half of people over 75 reported having a disability

CLIENT BENEFITS OF RECREATION THERAPY

Lower health care costs (decrease in stress related illnesses)

Increased employment & independence leading to a reduction in government supports

Reintegration into the community

Prolonged independent living

Reduction in crime and incarceration costs

EMPLOYEE & EMPLOYER BENEFITS OF HEALTH PROMOTION PROGRAMMING

Increased productivity

Decreased absenteeism

Improve work performance

Increase motivation

Produces leaders

Builds employee cohesion

RECREATION THERAPY SKILLS Training and demonstrated abilities in core therapy skills including

assessment, planning, implementation, documentation and evaluation

Recreation therapists enhance the health care consumers receive, increasing both the effectiveness and efficiency of routine care.

  Extensive knowledge and skill-based training to enhance quality of

care  Organized and team-oriented approach to care delivery 

Multi-functional and diversified skill base to reach a wider spectrum of consumers

Training in group oriented processes to enhance cost effectiveness and efficiencies in service delivery

Ability to handle professional responsibilities and authority  

HEALTH OF BRITISH COLUMBIANS

26% of BC residents experience high levels of chronic stress (Note: between 70 and 80 percent of all

disease and illness is stress related)

Mitigating Strategy: Involvement in leisure and having social

supports buffer individuals against “personal stress produced by life circumstances”

Individuals with a large resource repertoire are not as likely to find a situation to be stressful and have a greater ability to cope when encountering stressful situations

HEALTH OF BRITISH COLUMBIANS Rates of overweight have more than doubled in BC

since 1985 from 11% to 26.4% in 2001 (Obesity is linked to heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, osteoarthritis, and certain types of cancer

and a wide range of other illnesses)

Mitigating Strategy: Therapeutic Recreation intervention of increasing

activity level and involvement in community life reduces medical complications and costly secondary disabilities after onset of a disability

Research regarding walking shows: 50% reduction in the risk of premature death 50% less incidence of type-2 diabetes 30-40% reduction in the risk of heart disease 20% reduction in the risk of stroke

HOSPITAL COSTS Cost of hospital stay in Canada per patient = average

of $7,000 (Based on at least one night stay, does not include the cost of emergency care, day surgery, long-term care, hospital clinics or fee-for-service payments to physicians)

Mitigating Strategy: Active involvement in TR services improves

community living skills, increases independence as well as decreases the need for extended hospital stay

Studies of children in hospital participating in organized games showed improvement in mobility and range of motion, decrease in loss of function as well as increased rates of healing. Those recovering from surgery who participated in play also showed increased rates of healing.

RISKS

It is predicted that obesity-related costs ($730 million to $830 million per year), will soon overtake the costs of tobacco-related illness (1.2 billion/year)

(costs at a provincial level)

British Columbia’s total health spending (public and private) is $5, 093 per person. At an annual spending growth of 6.4% (estimated

national growth rate 2007-08): 5 years = approximately $6, 723 10 years = approximately $8, 353

RISKS Canada’s health care spending was

estimated to reach $171.9 billion (or $5, 170 per person) in 2008, a growth of 6.4% ($10.3 billion) in one year

Continued annual growth at 6.4%: 5 years = $223.4 billion I0 years = $274.9 billion (more than

doubled)

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE PROJECT

1. Locate individuals who will continue with the project.

2. Acquire further research supporting therapeutic recreation

3. Develop a user friendly tool which can be used by TRS’s as an addition to resumes, portfolio packages, etc which will provide increased support in hiring

OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS

1. Mandatory membership to BCTRA to validate Therapeutic Recreation as a profession and increase knowledge of current amount of TRS’s in the province

2. Increase the documentation taking place at work sites to justify the work and progress being made

3. Increase knowledge of the profession

REFERENCES BCTRA. (n.d.). British Columbia Therapeutic Recreation Association. Retrieved November

17, 2009, from http://www.bctra.org/

CIHI. (2008a). Average hospital stay costs nearly $7,000 per patient in Canada. Retrieved November 9, 2009 from http://secure.cihi.ca/cihiweb/dispPage.jsp?cw_page=media_18mar2008_e

CIHI. (2008b).Spending on health care to reach $5,170 per Canadian in 2008. Retrieved November 9, 2009 from http://secure.cihi.ca/cihiweb/dispPage.jsp?cw_page=media_13mar2008_e

Colman, R. (2001). Cost of obesity in british Columbia. Retrieved November 12, 2009 from http://www.gpiatlantic.org/pdf/health/obesity/bc-obesity.pdf

Dolesh, R. J. (May, 2004). Follow the trail toward improved health. Parks & Recreation, 40-46.

Driver, B.L., Brown, P.J., & Peterson, G.L. (1991). Benefits of leisure. State College, PA: Venture Publishing.

Hood, C. D. & Carruthers, C. (2007). Enhancing leisure experience and developing resources: The leisure and well-being model, part II. Therapeutic Recreation Journal, 41(4), 298-325.

NCRTA. (n.d.). Cost benefits of services provided by therapeutic recreation specialists. Retrieved November 9, 2009 from http://www.ncrta.org/Professional/cost.html

NCTRC. (n.d.). National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification. Retrieved November 17, 2009, from http://www.nctrc.org/aboutnctrc.htm

Riley, B. (2009). NCTRC - CTRS profile study 2009 [PowerPoint Slides]. Retrieved October 28, 2009 via email.

Seaward, B.L. (2006). Managing Stress principles and strategies for health and well-being (5th ed.) London: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.

Statistics Canada. (2002). A Profile of Disability in Canada. (89-577-XIE). Ottawa: Ministry of Industry.

Statistics Canada. (2006). Selected collective dwelling and population characteristics (25) and type of collective dwelling (17) for the population in collective dwellings of Canada, provinces and territories. Retrieved from, http://www.statcan.gc.ca/start-debut-eng.html