Issues of leisure and dying are not often discussed in depth by those in recreation or thanatology. However, Recreation, Leisure, and Chronic Illness bridges the gap between leisure and thanatology. Professionals know that when illness, disability, stress, or poverty threaten the quantity and quality of a person's life, leisure takes on great meaning. Readers will find in this truly unique book how leisure can be a positive counterforce to the physical and mental diminishments that erode health and work.Contributors to Recreation, Leisure and Chronic Illness explore the philosophy of leisure and how freedom, enjoyment, self-determination, and breaking the set patterns of daily life are central to true leisure, for persons in all walks of life. These authors illustrate the need for leisure in a wide variety of settings and in the face of multiple threats to both the quantity and the quality of life. Readers will find chapters filled with expert theories on how to help clients with limiting conditions realize the fulfillment of their leisure desires, the problem of groups left at the margins of the current health care policy who are also poorly served by the leisure professions, and the inevitable funding dilemma. Specific chapters focus on: improving leisure lifestyles as a crucial first step in rehabilitation the role and importance of recreation in lives of persons with AIDS benefits of recreation programs in senior centers and care centers community-based recreation programs that emphasize preserving existing coping patterns and maintaining daily functioning the ability of recreation to sustain hope for psychiatric patients relationships between leisure education and death education how creative activities--music, dance, art, and creative writing--are used to promote physical mental healthWhile the chapters in Recreation, Leisure and Chronic Illness range from policy issues to specific recreation programs, as a whole they show the healing power of leisure. Professionals and students in both recreation and thanatology fields will find this volume an enlightening approach to promoting healing in those suffering from life-threatening conditions--medical, social, economic, or environmental.

Issues of leisure and dying are not often discussed in depth by those in recreation or thanatology. However, Recreation, Leisure, and Chronic Illness bridges the gap between leisure and thanatology. Professionals know that when illness, disability, stress, or poverty threaten the quantity and quality of a person's life, leisure takes on great meaning. Readers will find in this truly unique book how leisure can be a positive counterforce to the physical and mental diminishments that erode health and work.Contributors to Recreation, Leisure and Chronic Illness explore the philosophy of leisure and how freedom, enjoyment, self-determination, and breaking the set patterns of daily life are central to true leisure, for persons in all walks of life. These authors illustrate the need for leisure in a wide variety of settings and in the face of multiple threats to both the quantity and the quality of life. Readers will find chapters filled with expert theories on how to help clients with limiting conditions realize the fulfillment of their leisure desires, the problem of groups left at the margins of the current health care policy who are also poorly served by the leisure professions, and the inevitable funding dilemma. Specific chapters focus on: improving leisure lifestyles as a crucial first step in rehabilitation the role and importance of recreation in lives of persons with AIDS benefits of recreation programs in senior centers and care centers community-based recreation programs that emphasize preserving existing coping patterns and maintaining daily functioning the ability of recreation to sustain hope for psychiatric patients relationships between leisure education and death education how creative activities--music, dance, art, and creative writing--are used to promote physical mental healthWhile the chapters in Recreation, Leisure and Chronic Illness range from policy issues to specific recreation programs, as a whole they show the healing power of leisure. Professionals and students in both recreation and thanatology fields will find this volume an enlightening approach to promoting healing in those suffering from life-threatening conditions--medical, social, economic, or environmental.

"Therapeutic Recreation Leadership and Programming" will help students learn the essential aspects of professional practice while developing a leadership mind-set. The book focuses on the day-to-day responsibilities of the therapeutic recreation specialist (TRS) while integrating ethical considerations into each aspect of the job. Readers will learn how to perform the daily work of a TRS while maintaining the highest ethical standards of the profession. The book details

- the principles, theories, and codes of ethics that will form the foundation of specialists' understanding of the field and set the stage for practice;

- the knowledge, skills, and leadership principles that TRSs will need in order to help their clients accomplish therapeutic outcomes;

- strategies that will guide TRSs in planning a wide range of programs and services, including information on frequently encountered health problems, major program areas, facilitation strategies, and client and program evaluation; and

- methods for program organization and delivery that will prepare specialists to offer a regular schedule of therapeutic recreation programs that meet the needs of all of their clients, whether in group or individual settings.

The book will arm students with the information and tools they need in order to succeed as therapeutic recreation specialists. It familiarizes students with their future clients by describing the health concerns most often encountered in therapeutic settings. Case studies for the most common concerns provide students with concrete examples of how programming works in various clinical settings. The book also provides specific recreation activities from five major program areas, along with information on the effectiveness of the activities, risk management concerns, and implementation strategies. Step-by-step instructions for structuring, planning, and leading both group and one-on-one sessions will prepare students to implement programs in a wide variety of settings.

Stories from professionals in the field, examples of real and hypothetical clients, and case studies show students how to use the principles they've learned when leading programs. Learning activities help them to further explore the concepts in each chapter, and highlight boxes emphasize key ideas related to each chapter's content. An instructor guide is available to course adopters at www.HumanKinetics.com/TherapeuticRecreationLeadershipandProgramming.