Speaker: Alexis McKenney

Join us as we travel through the evolution of technology, tracing its trajectory from the visionary landscapes of Disney’s Tomorrowland to the forefront of cutting-edge AI innovation. Just as Tomorrowland once sparked dreams of progress, today’s AI technologies bring those visions to life. They challenge us to reimagine how we engage with information. By bridging this historical continuum, we deepen our understanding of technological evolution, associated challenges, and its impact on information acquisition and translation. Whether you are a student, practitioner, or academic, explore how AI streamlines the search for evidence-based activities in Recreational Therapy, leading to more effective and impactful Recreational Therapy interventions. By leveraging AI as a powerful tool, we can remain at the forefront of innovation in our profession. Come along as we confront today’s opportunities and challenges, revealing the interconnectedness of past aspirations and present achievements in shaping the future of research and practice.

Speaker: Gretchen Snethen

Virtual opportunities continue to be a resource for recreational therapy professionals. The ever-changing face of services and challenges experienced by the diverse populations we serve make it critically important for recreational therapists to continue to advance their education and skills. Intentionally seeking opportunities for growth and maintaining connections with other RT professionals is essential to advance one’s professionalism. This session highlights current issues facing recreational therapy professionals and provides strategies to use virtual technology to advance one’s profession and maintain connections with other recreational therapists. Attendees will learn about the virtual sessions offered at this conference and connect these topics to broader health issues faced by individuals with disabilities. Finally, attendees will leave the session with specific strategies to use virtual opportunities to advance their recreational therapy practice.

Speakers: Danielle Vizcarra, Elizabeth Mason, Nicole Penrose, & Heather Porter (faculty mentor)

Sports participation has been shown to improve physical, social, and mental health in adults with a lower extremity amputation. To facilitate sports participation in this population, an understanding of common barriers and facilitators to participation is needed. This session will review three sport participation barrier and facilitator themes that were found through a synthesis of eight qualitative studies, along with a knowledge translation plan to assist therapists in designing sport interventions.

Speakers: Laila Delacruz, Kyla Jackson, & Aurora Verlin (faculty mentor)

Many Americans enjoy playing games on their phones and computers, even some who wouldn’t consider themselves to be “gamers”. Several studies review the use of app-based video games with individuals with IDD to achieve numerous cognitive goals, such as working memory and attention improvements. Use of app games has shown significant differences in cognitive functioning and executive functioning. Using the Therapeutic Recreation Outcome Model as a basis, this session will discuss how RTs can utilize app-based games in practice and maximize outcomes for their clients.

Speakers: Laura Cuadrado & Heather Burket (faculty mentor)

It is widely acknowledged that children require a supportive network to foster their social, emotional, cognitive, physical, and spiritual development. Researchers have specifically focused on the positive impact of organized sports participation on the emotional well-being of elementary school-aged children. This session delves into how organized sports activities can contribute to the mental health of children, examining the necessary strategies to promote their active involvement. Additionally, the session will address the emotional repercussions associated with sports dropout and lack of sports involvement. Finally, the information will explore how recreational therapists can bolster established sporting programs.

Speakers: Heidi Ross, Savannah Sell, Melissa Steinheiser, Alexis Klocek, & Heather Porter (faculty mentor)

Stroke is a leading cause of adult disability with seven million living with its chronic effects. Those impacted by stroke experience impaired motor functioning, decreased mobility and balance, and residual cognitive and emotional disability, resulting in reduced quality of life. Yoga interventions employ breathing techniques, meditations, postures, and/or movements that are safe, adaptable, cost-effective, and easy to deliver within the community. This presentation will share the research-based delivery and health outcomes of yoga for individuals living with chronic stroke and evidence-based practice guidelines that recreational therapists can use to implement yoga interventions.

Speakers: Carol Agger, Ana Canal, Jada Larmond, Marissa Fisher, & Heather Porter (faculty mentor)

Using recent and supporting research in animal-assisted therapy (AAT) and child trauma, this session will strengthen your evidence-based practice with children experiencing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms. The various applications, settings, and tools that strengthen AAT’s effects, as well as the types of animals used within AAT will be explored. Valuable insight will be gained regarding this population and how AAT can improve the outcomes of children who have experienced traumatic events. To conclude, areas that lack evidence and ways to further research in these areas will be discussed.

Speakers: Heather Burket & Devan Spross

The purpose of this session is to review best practices, current treatment approaches, and future recommendations for the implementation of a new interdisciplinary collaboration between Recreational Therapy and Speech Language students and faculty within Temple University’s Speech-Language-Hearing Center.

Speakers: Steven Allen, Yihfeng Huang, & Aurora Verlin (faculty mentor)

With organized sports such as Pickleball on the rise and more opportunities for sports clubs becoming an option for older adults, this session will focus on the holistic benefits of participation in these activities. Engagement in both team and individual sports can have long-lasting, positive effects on the health and wellness of older adults. In this session, research will be presented on benefits of a variety of sporting interventions as well as adaptations and equipment available to limit barriers and increase accessibility.

Adults with mental illnesses are just as likely to be parents as adults without mental illnesses. Yet, this population experiences greater discrimination, less support, and lower parental efficacy than other parents. Family-based leisure provides an opportunity to enhance relationships between parents and children. This session provides an overview of how engaging in intentional family leisure can benefit parental efficacy and family relationships. We will discuss challenges experienced by parents with mental illnesses, review the Core and Balance model of family leisure, and review EPICC- an ongoing intervention study designed to increase parental efficacy through engagement in meaningful family leisure. This session will emphasize the role recreational therapists can play in supporting parental efficacy and skill development among adults with serious mental illnesses.

Speakers: Krista Schline, Lessly Ginin, Claire Richter, & Heather Porter (faculty mentor)

Loneliness is a significant public health concern, especially for older adults who reside in long-term care facilities. There is a demand for effective intergenerational group programming to address this need in both older individuals and younger people living in the community. As found through a synthesis of six studies, this session will share the effects of IGP on loneliness and other related outcomes, as well as recommendations for creating an IGP that aligns with the research and supports the link between social bonds and reduced loneliness.

Research shows that participating in nature therapy improves symptoms of mental illness. Mental illness affects people of all ages and can be a primary or secondary diagnosis. Being outside in nature can decrease feelings of depression and stress and improve well-being. Common types of nature therapy are horticulture, animal-assisted therapy, adventure therapy, and wilderness therapy. In this presentation, we will discuss what nature therapy is, the benefits it has on mental health, physical wellness, self-efficacy, and resources to participate in nature therapy near you.

Speaker: Heather Porter

Leisurely and mindful walks in nature have been shown in the literature to improve psychological, mental, and physical health, as well as boost immune function. In this session, we will review this research, as well as the underlying mechanisms that facilitate these changes, including positive psychology, physical movement, neurotransmitter release, psychoneuroimmunology, and mindfulness. You will also learn how to assess and facilitate nature walking experiences, how to administer nine free standardized assessment tools to determine baseline measurements, and how to choose mindful walking exercises and journaling prompts. We will also review nature-based apps and discuss how to bring nature into indoor environments. *Dr. Heather Porter is the author of ‘Nature Walking for Wellness: Activities and Assessments for a Healthier You.’