In-House and Community Access Recreation Programs in Long-Term Care Facilities | Research | MAREP

In-house and Community Access Recreation Programmes in Long-Term Care Facilities in Canada: Final Report

The final report, entitled In-house and Community Access Recreation Programmes in Long-Term Care Facilities in Canada, written by Sherry Dupuis, Bryan J.A. Smale, and Elaine Wiersma is ready for release. The purpose of the report is to share information from a national study focussed on examining the nature and type of in-house and community access recreation programmes being offered in long-term care settings in Canada. Based on information shared by over 500 activity directors and recreation supervisors across Canada, the report provides detailed information on:

the various characteristics of long-term care facilities and recreation practitioners as they pertain to recreation and leisure (e.g., average number of residents per facility, resident to staff ratio, percentage of residents with cognitive and physical/sensory impairments, number of full- and part-time recreation staff, number of recreation staff with training in TR, number of recreation volunteers);
the types of recreation programmes and opportunities being offered in long-term care facilities and the frequency with which these programmes are provided;
the percentages of residents and family members who regularly participate in recreation programmes and opportunities in long-term care settings;
the perceived successfulness of various recreation programmes and opportunities offered in long-term care facilities;
the attitudes towards community outreach recreation programs in long-term care settings and the constraints or challenges that might limit opportunities for these types of programs in these settings; and
the perceived challenges and rewards associated with providing recreation in general in long-term care facilities.

The results are reported for Canada as a whole as well as for different regions of the country (i.e., Atlantic Canada, Quebec, Ontario, the West, and British Columbia) to give practitioners insights into issues specific to their region and to allow them to compare their facility with others in their region and with the country as a whole.

The report concludes with a list of recommendations for recreation and other health care practitioners working in long-term care facilities. As a bonus, we have also included an annotated bibliography summarising over 100 research studies and review articles specific to recreation and leisure in long-term care facilities.

The report is available for $35.00 (Canadian funds) to help cover the cost of printing, shipping, and handling (GST included). You can purchase a copy of the report simply by downloading and completing the order form (pdf file) and returning it to us with your payment.