Therapeutic recreation in the RCF
Many people in the senior living industry often fail to see the importance of the “activities” program. The first problem is we fail to see this as more than just “activities”. These are life enrichment tools that add value and give fulfillment to the lives of older adults. The enrichment programming in an RCF provides structure to the resident’s day and gives them different events to attend throughout the day. While the programming may differ from community to community the Ohio Department of Health has regulated the following to occur in every RCF:
Rule 3701-16-11 | Resident life enrichment
(A) Each residential care facility shall encourage residents to participate in social, recreational, and leisure activities. The residential care facility shall, with consideration given to resident preferences, provide or arrange for varied activities of sufficient quantity so that residents’ lives may be more meaningful, to stimulate physical and mental capabilities, and to assist residents in attaining their optimal social, physical, and emotional well-being. The residential care facility shall provide, at minimum, all of the following:
(1) One local daily newspaper or current community activity brochures and advertisements;
(2) Information about activities in the community and the availability of transportation to community activities; and
(3) An opportunity for residents to engage in a variety of activities which may include, but shall not be limited to, television, crafts, reading, or games.