Therapeutic Recreation Facilitator for Older Adults

Recreation can bring back a memory, strengthen a hand or ease a lonely afternoon for an older adult. Therapeutic Recreation Facilitator for Older Adults is a nine-month RRC Polytech certificate, taught at the Notre Dame Campus in northwest Winnipeg with a September start, that trains you to plan, promote, deliver and evaluate recreation programmes for seniors.

Courses start with the foundations: TR - Foundation to Therapeutic Recreation, TR - Leisure Concepts, Introduction to Gerontology and Interpersonal Communication 1. You then study TR - Cognitive Impairment, TR - Adaptations & Intervention, TR - Valuing Diversity, Faith & Culture, TR - Group Dynamics & Interdisciplinary and TR - Dealing with Loss & Palliative Care. Practical courses such as Therapeutic Fitness Leader, TR - Program Planning, TR - Documentation Skills, Specialized TR Applications and TR - Computer Applications teach you to design sessions for seniors and record each client’s progress accurately.

Two field work placements put theory to work: TR - Field Work - Community Based focuses on group programme planning in community settings, and TR - Field Work - Facility Based has you assess and meet client needs in a care facility; the College arranges both. The TR - Infection Control Workshop, TR - Assisting with Dignity, WHMIS and the Nonviolent Crisis Intervention Training Program cover the safety, privacy and health rules of care workplaces. Instructors bring industry experience, and First Aid/CPR is completed through an external provider. Criminal record and child and adult abuse registry checks are required before field work begins.

Graduates find work in personal care homes, health centres, rehabilitation centres, adult day centres and community programmes, as recreation facilitators, activity workers, recreation aides, therapeutic fitness leaders or adult day programme workers. The certificate suits patient, creative people who enjoy the company of older adults and want a short, practical route into recreation work in seniors’ care.