Debbie Robinson elected “Chair-Elect” of the NCTRC Board of Directors
Debbie Robinson, MS, CTRS/L, was elected to the position of Chair-Elect of the NCTRC
Board of Directors at the Board's fall meeting held in Atlantic Beach, NC on October 9-11. Robinson, who has served in the capacity of Vice Chair and a member of the Executive Committee during the past year, will assume the position of Chairperson of the NCTRC Board of Directors in April 2010. Robinson resides in New Hampshire and has held various positions within Therapeutic Recreation in a career that spans over 15 years. Robinson currently serves as the Director of Rehabilitation at New Hampshire Hospital in Concord, NH, providing direct administrative oversight for Recreational Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Music Therapy, Volunteer Services, Vocational Services and Language Access.
Source: www.nctrc.org
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Individual CTRS Highlight
What is your Name and Title? MaryJo Archambault MS, CTRS, RT2
Where do you work? Riverview Hospital in Middletown, CT
Where did you get your TR degree? Masters from Southern CT State University
What drew you to be a Recreation Therapist? I love people and I love seeing their faces when they are truly engaged in an activity! I enjoy the opportunity of teaching people new leisure skills that they can use. I love being able to modify an activity so that someone can participate in something they never dreamed possible! I love to see the changes Therapeutic Recreation can make in people's lives!
How many years have you been a CTRS? 5 years
What is your role in your organization? One of the most important roles would be the assessment area. Our activities provide a natural environment for the kids. We are more apt to see the kids as they would behave in their own environment. We see how they interact with each other, how they deal with frustration, competition, winning/losing etc. We see what activities help them focus and what situations may be challenging. We really learn a lot about our kids as we observe them in our activities. As a department we provide our teens with a variety of activities to help them physically, mentally, emotionally and especially socially. I feel that through our activities the kids learn how to interact appropriately with one another, how to work together and how to reach a common goal. Of course not all kids are at this level and we need to meet them where they are at and help them grow from there. The kids also learn effective means of coping and a variety of activities they can use to manage emotions or stress. Most importantly, I hope that they learn how beneficial recreation is and how important it is in their lives. My dream is that they will reach a point that when they feel anxious instead of asking for a PRN they will ask to do an activity!!
What programming are you most proud of? I have formed a group called Helping Hands in which the kids do a project for the community. We have made pillow cases for patients who have cancer and most recently did a Turkey Swap to raise food and money for our local food pantry. It was very empowering for the kids!
What other programming do you have? I have a Healthy Living group to teach the kids about making healthier choices. We cook, learn about portion size, healthy substitutions, food groups and try fruits and veggies they may not have had before. I run a weight room group/ fitness with both the boys and girls, cooperative games, a girl scout troop, creative writing, community outings and 1:1 and 2:1 activities.
Are you a member of any committees? I am on the event planning committee for the hospital, which is a lot of fun! I also am a member of the Patient Council and on a DBT consult team. The consult team is a group of us who have been trained in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. As part of this team I run a Mindfulness group with our kids. This includes meditation, yoga, and sensory activities.
What do you like to do in your own leisure time? I love to hike.
Do you have a favorite quote? I have two! Recreation's purpose is not to kill time, but to make life, not to keep a person occupied, but to keep them refreshed; no to offer an escape from life, but to provide a discovery of life."
-Author Unknown
If you can walk, you can dance. If you can talk, you can sing.
A saying from Zimbabwe
Anything else you would like people to know about you? I currently teach as an adjunct at Southern Ct State University in their Recreation and leisure studies program.
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Organizational Highlight
Sedgewood Commons
What is the name of your Organization and where is it located?
Sedgewood Commons is a 95 bed Alzheimer’s Care Community located in Falmouth, Maine.
Who is the Director of Therapeutic Recreation?
Ellen Meagher, M.Ed. My title is Director of Life Enrichment and this position oversees the Therapeutic Recreation Department.
What is the staffing of the Therapeutic Recreation Department?
We have 3 full time and 1 part time CTRS positions. We have 3 full time and 1 part time Recreation Assistants. We presently have a full time CTRS position, and a 16 hour CTRS position available. Please feel free to contact me at 207-78-5775, ext. 228 or at ellen.meagher@genesishcc.com
What type of populations do you serve?
The entire population is Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias.
Which aspect of programming are you most proud of?
I am most proud of the fact that within the past 8 months we have revamped the program here from an Activities Department to a Therapeutic Recreation Department. All of our programs are presently resident focused and based on individual leisure needs and interests. We are also proud of the strong relationship we have with the Rehabilitation Department, and we work directly with them on goal based interdisciplinary programs. As a result, we are able to provide programs that address a variety of needs and strengths of each individual. We also conduct interdisciplinary special events 2-4 times per month.
What is the department’s Role within the Organization, including committee membership?
The Recreation Therapy Department participates in the quality Indicator/quality assurance committee, utilization review, and an interdisciplinary falls prevention committee meeting. The Recreation Therapy Department is an integral component and contribution to the quarterly treatment team meetings.
Do you and/or your Organization have a Mission/Vision Statement?
We improve the lives we touch through the delivery of high quality healthcare and everyday compassion.
How do you evaluate your program?
The department is evaluated through participation in monthly Resident Council meetings. We also participate in various Quality Assurance programs to look at the efficacy of our department functions.
We are constantly changing our Recreation Therapy calendar to better meet the individual leisure needs and interests of our residents.
Does your department host interns? If yes, what is the procedure for applying?
Presently our department does not host interns, as the department has to be in place for one year to meet the standard. We anticipate hosting our first intern students for the fall semester of 2010.
Anything else you want people to know about your department or organization?
Our department has wonderful support and advocacy from the administration, as well as family members here at Sedgewood.
We are in the process of developing some research studies with assistance/guidance form the University of Southern Maine.
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