Innovative Activity 10

Activity: Swinging with the wheelchair accessible glider swing

Target participant group: This activity is for participants who are in wheel chairs.

Therapeutic potential of this activity: Swinging on the glider swing is therapeutic because it gives participants the opportunity to get outdoors an feel the fresh breeze as they swing.

What other groups may benefit from this activity? Anyone can benefit because the glider swing has an accessible side for wheel chairs and bench on the other side for a facilitator or friend to help pump the swing.

What groups may not be as appropriate for this activity? Like I stated earlier, the glider swing can be appropriate for anyone who would like to use it.

Activity description: The glider swing has a ramp that cranks down and up that allows for a wheelchair to have safe an easy access to the swing. Once the wheelchair has gone up the ramp a facilitator or friend will lock the wheelchairs break and crank the ramp up which now serves as a back to make the swing more secure. The facilitator will then remove the swing breaks. After that they can hop on and rock back and forth to get the swing moving.

Resources needed: You will need a glider swing and an area to put it.

Best leadership style for this activity: The best leadership style I to help the participant get on and off of the swing and also to help them move of instruct their friend as to how to make the swing move.

Where did you find this activity? We use this swing at Central Wisconsin Center.

http://www.whisperglide.com/

Innovative Activity 9

Activity: Snowball/Marshmallow throw.

Target participant group: This activity would be best for youth at risk.

Therapeutic potential of this activity: This activity can promote social interaction, release pent up energy or anger, it can help to teach cooperation and of course it encourages laughter.

What other groups may benefit from this activity? Any group that has mobility in their upper extremities can participate and benefit from this activity.

What groups may not be as appropriate for this activity? This activity is not appropriate for participants who are unable to use arms such as someone with quadriplegia.

Activity description: For this activity you will instruct the participants to be seated in a circle with a bowl of ten marshmallows on their lap. The participants will then have two minutes to throw their marshmallows into other participant’s bowls. When time is up each participant will count the marshmallows in the bow and the winner will be determined based on who has the least marshmallows in their bowl (or most, however you choose).

Resources needed: Bowls, Marshmallows and flour (to dip the marshmallows into so they do not stick to each other).

Best leadership style for this activity: The best leadership style is for the facilitator to introduce the activity and then stand back and let them play while keeping track of the time.

Where did you find this activity? http://www.recreationtherapy.com/tx/txactive.htm

Innovative Activity 8

Activity: Vestibular Bowling

Target participant group: People in wheel chairs who have limited mobility in all extremities.

Therapeutic potential of this activity: This activity gives participants who normally don’t have the chance the opportunity to move swiftly. They also may enjoy feeling the impact of knocking over the pins. The sound can also be pleasing to the participants.

What other groups may benefit from this activity? Any participant who is in a wheel chair can benefit from this activity.

What groups may not be as appropriate for this activity? Participants who are scared easily by loud noises and fast movements would most likely not enjoy this activity.

Activity description: For this activity you will either use bowling pins or other durable items that can handle being knocked over. You will set them up however you like (you can adjust the difficulty by setting them up in different formations. Next you will help your participant by lining them up in a good position and giving them a big push towards the pins or other object you chose. Have another facilitator stand behind the pins/objects to help slow and stop the participant after they hit the pins.

Resources needed: Pins or other durable object and a big open area.

Best leadership style for this activity: The best leadership style is hands on. For the particular population I did this with, a facilitator was required because of the limited mobility of our participants.

Where did you find this activity? During my summer job at Central Wisconsin Center we used this activity.

Innovative Activity 7

Activity: Seated Soccer

Target Participation Group: Children, Older Adults

Therapeutic potential of this activity: This activity can be social and a good physical activity.

Some other groups that may benefit from this activity:  Children with autism, children with behavioral problems, and older adults may also benefit from seated soccer.

Some groups this would not work well with are participants who may have spinal cord injuries and/or no movement in their legs.

Activity description: Chairs should be arranged in a circle in a large room. Allow residents/clients to gently kick the ball across the room to one another.  This activity promotes team spirit, exercise, and fun.

Resources needed: Large exercise ball, chairs, and participants

Leadership style: The best leadership style for seated soccer is someone who is able to facilitate the activity and be helpful when needed.

Where did you find this activity? http://www.recreationtherapy.com/tx/txactive.htm

Innovative Activity 6

Activity: Scuba Diving

Target participant group: Wounded warriors with Spinal cord injuries.

Therapeutic potential of this activity: This activity has the potential to decrease symptoms of spasticity, increase positive moods, increase physical fitness and provides the opportunity to be social and makes friends

What other groups may benefit from this activity? People with amputations are also likely to reap the benefit from scuba diving.

What groups may not be as appropriate for this activity? This activity involves using air tanks and regulators for breathing so it may not be appropriate for people with COPD’S.

Activity description: Scuba diving is an activity that involves using a variety of different pieces of equipment to allow yourself to dive deep under water for extended periods of time. In order to scuba dive one must become certified through an accredited certification course such as P.A.D.I.

Resources needed: In order to scuba dive you need equipment such as a wet suit, regulator, and oxygen tank, mask, fins, buoyancy controlled device and an octopus.

Best leadership style for this activity: The best leadership style for scuba diving is direct hands on leadership initially. Then gradually give them more independence over time.

Where did you find this activity? I have been a certified scuba diver since I was 15 years old and have gone on multiple dives with my father.

Where can others find more information on this activity? http://paraplegicscuba.blogspot.com/

Week 12: Thursday December 5th- Relaxation

This was our final class and group presentation so it was fitting to have it be the relaxation group. We started off by participating in Laughter therapy by watching a comedians skit on you tube followed by a video about laughter yoga. We then made stress balls out of balloons and play dough. I love this idea because it is so simple, fairly cheap and feels just like a stress ball you would purchase at a store. I will have to use that idea again. After that we did some chair yoga that was lead by a youtube video. This would be perfect for when I work with participants who are in wheel chairs. Next, we were lead through a breathing relaxation exercise  I have done theses many times before and find them so relaxing. Following that we got into a circle and gave massages. This was the perfect last class because I was able to learn a lot of new activities while also de stressing myself. Taking care of yourself is so important, especially in our practice so having these skills is vital. Most, if not all, the people I am going to be working with will find activities like these useful.

Week 11: Thursday November 28th-Grad Students.

This week out class got a break from presenting to have Dr. Lewis's class of graduate students facilitate activities with us. His class was broken up into three groups who each focused on a different population and activity/program that they thought to be beneficial. The first group focused on people with ADHD participating in a program that involved a series of nature scavenger hunts. This group did a great job but growing up with ADD and having a brother with ADHD led me to question whether this activity would really have the results they were expecting. The activity was fun but I think it would be a lot more difficult than they think to facilitate this activity with this population and to get the anticipated results.

The second group was geared towards women making the transition for incarceration to homelessness. I had never heard of this as a population before but was impressed with their idea for a zumba program. I have been taking zumba classes for the past couple years and have loved every minute of it. The exercise  the company, and the music are infectious! Before we started dancing one of the members of the group gave us a brief overview of the different kinds of music and dance moves zumba includes and a very interesting history of a few moves. For example I believe she said the Cumbia is performed where one foot doesn't leave the ground because it originated in the fields in Columbia where people had an ankle chained to something or someone at all times.To me this seemed like a great activity for this population because working out gives you endorphin's that will often improve your mood and it also has the ability to improve there self esteem.

The last group focused on Wounded Warriors and how they can benefit from art activities. They chose to have us make a Mendalla which is a circle that you draw or paint in. The Mendalla is supposed to have a great deal of meaning about your current life situation. The activity was interesting and I have never heard of it before. I feel like it could be very good for some warriors who have a hard time expressing themselves vocally.