Animal Assisted Therapy

         Being a Therapeutic Recreation major and a fan of animals, I have looked into several different ways to combine those two interests. I came across a website called PALS, which stands for People and Animal Learning Services Inc. This organization has therapeutic horseback riding for several different populations such as people with autism, amputations, brain injury, spinal cord injury, cognitive disabilities, speech impairments, learning impairments and youth at risk.

        Therapeutic horseback riding can provide many benefits for several different people. For those with physical disabilities, the movement and warmth of the horse during the ride can stimulate joint and muscle function, relax spastic muscles, and increase strength. It also has many psychological benefits and can increase a person’s self esteem and confidence. It also helps with communication skills and building positive relationships since the rider and the horse create a special bond between them. Saddles and riding can also be adapted for people who have physical disabilities and need more support and assistance when riding.

         This activity could be facilitated by providing supervised horseback riding for participants or you can do variations using other animals for therapy such as having people work with dogs, cats, or other tame animals. Participants can do things as simple as sit with the animal or they could play with them and take them for walks. Also, people with disabilities could get a chance to train animals if possible such as going through simple dog training with a therapy dog. By teaching and helping an animal learn a skill, they could enhance their own confidence and feel an even stronger bond with their therapy animal. Another variation would be having animal shows such as a dog, cat or horse show. The participant could walk around with their animal, dress it up, and show it off to a crowd of people. This is a fun way for participants to gain confidence and work on social skills. Again, this activity could be facilitated with several different populations. There are many considerations such as if the participant is allergic to certain animals or has any medical or social reasons that would have them not want to work with animals. Safety should also always be considered and supervision should take place during all animal assisted therapy. Animals should also be trained extensively to make sure they have a very mild temper and will obey and act accordingly. During therapeutic horseback riding, helmets should be used in case of accidents so the rider remains protected. 

         Working together with an animal can be very therapeutic and beneficial. The animal does not judge or criticize the individual and working together creates a bond that is both meaningful and inspiring. It can help the individual gain better social skills, confidence, and patience. Between the physiological and psychological benefits, Equine Assisted Activities (EAA) and other types of animal therapy create an overall well being for the participant.

                  

http://palstherapy.org/about/index.php

Fashion Runway and Innovative Activities?

          Another Innovative activities class has passed and this week, my group presented our quick activity to the class since one of our team mates was sick last week. Our quick activity involved three people on a team and each person was assigned a role. There would be one model, one person who is the clay, and another who is the artist. The artist must be blind folded while the model chooses a position to make such as one leg out, an arm in the air and the other on their hip. The artist must then feel the model, figure out all the details of the model’s position, then move onto the clay and try to mold them into the exact same position. The first team to do this and do it the most accurately is the winner. This activity was aimed towards only certain populations, not all. The main population we aimed it towards was children and youth at risk. It is a good activity to break the ice and allows people to step outside their comfort zones, work together with people, and have some fun. It teaches social skills and the message than despite any disability or obstacles one may face, they can still work through them to create something, have fun, and be an artist. It can also be modified and used with some physical disabilities such as moving and shaping arms or legs. It could be done slowly and be a good way to stretch for the participants and get some movement and flexibility. Some things to keep in mind were that it requires supervision, both so that the person blind folded does not run into anything or fall down, and so that guidance and supervision is present so people play the game appropriately.

                After we facilitated our activity, we talked about activities that are inclusive so that everyone is involved and are not super competitive so that there are no true losers in the game. We used the example of red light green light where a leader yells either red light or green light. If he yells green light, the participants run forward. When he says red light, they stop in place. The goal is to be the first one to reach the leader, but no one loses or gets kicked out of the game. We also did an example where people make two “trains” and either move forward, backwards, switch the front and back participants, or close their eyes and go slow as they pass through the “tunnel.” Our teams brainstormed other games or activities that are inclusive, fun and no one feels left our or discouraged. My team thought of a game called fish and whales where people are divided into two teams. On one team the people are the fish, on the other side are the whales. There is one fisherman in the middle who calls out either fish or whales. If they call fish, all the fish have to run across to the other side of the room without getting tagged by the fisherman. If they are tagged, they become another fisherman in the middle and help the original fisherman tag people. The last person left becomes the new fisherman in the middle for the next game.

                Next, we watched a clip from fashion run way where the contestants had to create an article of clothing out of supplies from Home Depot. We also talked about a popular activity at wedding showers which is to have a wedding dress making contest where you need to make a wedding dress on a model using only toilet paper. Our teacher then challenged us to discuss and come up with ideas of our own based on this idea from fashion run way. We were to first create some article of clothing using everyday material aimed towards our given population. My group’s population was geriatrics and we decided to have our population create hats out of saran wrap, aluminum foil, tissue paper and tape. We were inspired by the red hat ladies and the owners of our hat would also be part of a society where they create and wear their hats together at their outings. Next, we had to create variations of this main project and we chose to have our people make decorative pillows or quilts out of the same material. They would each create their own individual pattern or design out of the material and then they would all put them together to create a quilt of all their work. Finally, we did another variation that would be completely different from clothing or accessories and we chose to have them make flower arrangements and flower boxes.

                This week’s class had us discuss and think about activities where people all felt a part of the activity and included. These activities were stimulating, yet not competitive enough where people “lose” or get kicked out of the game for not doing it correctly or in a fast enough matter. These activities create inclusion and get people working together. We also touched on being innovative and facilitating activities or crafts with people using something that isn’t seen every day. By working together and thinking outside the box, people can come together and enjoy recreation while learning valuable social and experimental skills.

A wedding shower I recently attended where we created a wedding dress out of toilet paper. How innovative! 

Short Activity Presentations!

          It has been another week in Innovative Activities and this week, each group presented their small activity to the class. My group, group 2, could not present this week because one of our members was sick. We are allowed to present ours instead at the beginning of class next week. Each group’s small activity was creative and different in some way. They all did a good job of considering the populations they could present these activities to and any precautions or safety measures that might need to be taken.

          The first group did an activity involving paint and other objects, besides paint brushes, to apply the paint with. The idea was to get people thinking creatively and use other everyday objects that you wouldn’t think to use for painting. They had sponges, feathers, small wooden balls, artificial leaves, and soft fluffy art balls. Some people used the objects to create pictures such as scenery with trees or clouds, while others used them to create more abstract paintings. They talked about how the project could be used with many different populations such as youth at risk, people with cognitive disabilities, or even geriatrics. People may need assistance with getting paint or knowing what and where they can paint, however, so supervision is needed.

          Another group also brought several everyday objects but had us use them as musical instruments to create a song. There were books, rubber bands, pots and pans, bottles and many other things. The idea of this was to use creativity to come up with a unique musical ensemble that can either express one’s thoughts and feelings or just be a fun activity to use everyday objects in a new way. This activity could also be used for many different populations. The third group used a combination of music and art. They had six different songs and gave everyone a piece of paper and a colored marker. We were to all close our eyes and the lights were turned off as they played the first song. We were then supposed to draw whatever we liked based on the emotions and feelings we were getting from the song that was playing. Once the song ended, we passed our paper to the person next to us and the next song started, again drawing whatever we choose inspired by our thoughts and emotions from the song. By the end of the six songs, you should have six different pictures drawn on a piece of paper. Each picture is in a different color, since it was drawn by different people, and represents different thoughts and emotions. Happier, upbeat songs had pictures of people, rainbows and fireworks. Slower songs had pictures of “zzz”s representing sleep or pictures of sad or soothing objects. This project was supposed to get people’s thoughts down on paper and inspires people to show their emotions in different ways. This is another activity for people of different populations but can be modified for each. If it were used for people with autism, the group talked about maybe shortening the length of the songs so the participants don’t get bored or become uninterested.

           Another group had us all sit in a chair and did chair yoga with us. We did several different stretches and movements, all while sitting in and using our chairs. Their activity also used a simple, everyday object and turned it into something new and innovative. Anyone can do chair yoga to some degree, whether they be in a wheel chair, elderly, cognitively disabled, or just someone at work or school who needs to relieve some stress. The final group did an activity that involved us creating something to protect an egg from breaking when being dropped from the second floor. We were given straws, tape, and newspaper and could use them in any way we wanted. My group first wrapped and taped straws around the egg for support, then wrapped it in news paper a few times. We then placed the wrapped egg on a protective platform created by straws. When our egg was put to the tested and dropped from the second floor, it still managed to break. Three group’s eggs did not break however, proving that their protective barriers were constructed well. People were very creative in their building ideas and showed why this could be a good group activity for people. It requires team work and brain storming to come up with a creative and durable object to protect an egg.

            In the end, all the groups did a good job coming up with short activities that they could facilitate for people of different populations. They combined different things such as creativity, recreation, relaxation and team work to come up with something that someone would both enjoy and benefit from. All the activities also had some precautions that need to be taken and the teams did a good job of presenting and evaluating those as well.

Goalball!

While searching the internet for an extra innovative activity, I found a website about the sport Goalball. Goalball was invented as a rehabilitation activity for blind veterans following World War II. It was then further introduced to people when it was in the Paralympics in 1978. To play Goalball, you have three players per team and two teams. Each team is on either end of the court and their goal is to protect their goal line while trying to get the ball into the other team’s goal. One player plays in the center and the other two are the wings and play on either side of the center. The game was invented for people with visual impairments, but as part of the rules of the game, each team member is blind folded and needs to rely on their sensory and audio skills. This makes everyone have the same level of visual impairment, despite whatever level of visual impairment they may have as a disability. The game is played with a rubber ball with bells inside for the players to hear. The goal of the game is to pass and roll the ball and eventually put it into the opposing team’s goal. Team members can use their bodies to block passes and feel for the ball. Penalties can be called due to throwing the ball before the official has said start, throwing the ball out of bounds, a team taking more than ten seconds to throw the ball, a team member crossing onto the other team’s side, touching or moving their blindfolds, or unsportsmanship conduct. An official regulatory court is 18m long and 9m wide, but can be adjusted for different age groups or physical abilities. The goal boundary lines are made with either floor tape or string for the players and feel and know the boundaries, but they are not raised so much that they could cause someone to trip or cause an injury. There are two seven minute periods to the game and it is fourteen minutes overall.  Whichever team has the most points by the end of the game wins!

There are some safety measures and precautions to take when playing Goalball. Players have the option to wear knee pads, elbow pads, hip pads, and face masks. If I were to facilitate this activity with a group of people, I think I would make the protection mandatory. Also, since it is a visual impairment game, communication is key to avoid collisions and injury. As the players continue to play the game, they will adjust and develop better skills to listen for the ball, communicate with their team members, and learn where and how to place the ball for their advantage.

                I think this is a very good innovative and adaptive activity because it puts every player on the same page, despite their visual disability. People both with and without visual impairments can play together and share the same skill without segregation. This game also could be adapted for people with other disabilities such as physical or cognitive disabilities. If people were in a wheel chair, they could have wheel chairs that are closer to the ground so they can pick the ball up if needed. They could also have bumpers or padding on their wheel chairs to prevent injury and make it similar to bumper cars. People with cognitive disabilities can also play and work on developing social skills and team work. The balls could even be made bigger to allow easier catching and throwing if necessary.

Here is the website I used to find information on Goalball!http://www.usaba.org/Pages/sportsinformation/adaptations/goalballadapt.html 

Online Search Tutorial

        This week in Innovative Activities, we all met in one of the computer labs for a tutorial on how to do a search in our library’s online data base. One of the librarians came to talk to us and gave us helpful tips to find the best results. She went over the different areas on the website such as her personal contact page, the search page, and an option that allows you to send yourself the links to pages you found in an email. She also showed us how to enter information into the search engine so we can find more, specific options of what we are looking for. Putting quotations around items that are two words such as “therapeutic recreation” keeps the two words together in the search. She also said we can put synonyms for the words we are looking for to widen the search such as kids OR children OR youth. Another tip she gave use to expand our search was putting an asterisk after certain words such as teen*. That then finds all forms of the words such as teenagers or teens.

        After her helpful tutorial, we all began our own searches to find resources for our four page paper on an activity for a specific population in therapeutic recreation.  Her tutorial was very helpful when it came to doing our own search for our paper. I could get the results I was looking for in a quicker amount of time. In the past, searching for sources can be frustrating and get me nowhere. Now I can use what I have learned to hopefully make my searching process easier.

The Art of Tape Art

     During our last class period in Innovative Activites, we discussed innovative and collaborative art in therapeutic recreation. We learned specifically about a technique called tape art and the process of how to create our own. Tape art is an art form that includes wrapping an object such as a doll, statue, or even body parts, in a combination of saran wrap and clear masking tape. Once the object is covered, you carefully cut a series of slits through the tape/saran wrap so that you can slip the tape cast off the object. Finally, you carefully tape the cut seams together to create a whole, 3D image.

       Foy my group’s tape sculpture, we decided to create a statue inspired by the film Up. We wanted to make a hot air balloon with a person inside, looking out and waving. We wrapped the bottom legs of a chair to create the basket, then wrapped several balloons to make the air balloon portion of the sculpture. We also wrapped a balloon to make the head of our person instead of wrapping an actual team members head to avoid any possible problems. We finally wrapped a team member’s forearm and hand and taped all the separate pieces together, completing the final project. We thought about how going on a hot air balloon isn’t quite as common as other activities, yet is a fun and exciting activity that can be used by practically any population. There are few limitations as long as safety is considered and precautions are taken.

       Our group also discussed how tape art is a great innovative activity to do with people in the Therapeutic Recreation profession. It can be done with several different populations, although it may need to be modified slightly for each. For our specific population, people with cognitive disabilities, the process is fairly simple and involves creativity and teamwork. The patient can choose to wrap whatever they choose and can expand their imagination to create whatever kind of sculpture they want. Safety needs to be kept in mind, so it would be a good idea for the person to work with someone who can help them with the cutting if needed. It is also a good idea to make sure if they are wrapping someone that they don’t wrap too tightly. This combination of creativity, art and teamwork is a great experience for the cognitively disabled and allows them to enjoy recreation and individuality. Overall, the concept of tape art is both innovative and intriguing. It is a simple and fairly cheap activity that takes everyday objects and creates a unique piece of art that you definitely don’t see everyday.                                                                                                                                                                               

                      incredibleart.org

     Although this is not my group's sculpture created in class, this is a good example of a tape art piece. The artists may have wrapped either a person or manequin to create this full body dancer.

A Little Introduction

  My name is Caitlin Sevener and I am a sophomore here at UWL. I am a Therapeutic Recreation Major with a Communications minor. I haven't completely decided what population I want to work with in TR, but so far I am leaning towards working with either people with physical disabilities or working with vetrans in a vetrans hospital. I am keeping my options open, however, and hope to figure it out with time.

                                                      That would be me on the right. ^