Recreation for the Disabled

I have been volunteering for the last two years with our local Parks and Recreation District in programs for individuals with disabilities. When I started, there were children's programs and two options for adults with disabilities. One option was Therapeutic Recreation, with activities that were "therapeutic" in nature for individuals with physical as well as intellectual disabilities. The other was Special Recreation, with activities that were basically social and recreational in nature. The Special Recreation activities were fun oriented with just hanging out and "going places" as the general idea.

Last Summer we got a new director who had a hospital therapeutic background. The first thing she did was eliminate the "special" completely from the program and rename every activity "therapeutic" recreation. She now wants all activities to be goal oriented. To me this name change is purely political correctness by someone with a medical/political orientation to disability.

There is nothing wrong with bringing challenge to people. Virtually all of the individuals involved in the program are involved in work and vocational programs during the work week. These programs challenge, teach, and move their clients toward achievable goals.

We should treat the disabled the same as we want to be treated. At our jobs we are expected to work toward our goals and try to work toward our capacity. In our leisure time we don't necessarily want to be pushed, challenged, or be always expected to be learning something.