Recreational and education activities
Introduction
Health is much more than the absence of illness. Leisure, social and recreational occupations are now recognised as essential to a person's overall good health and sense of general well-being. The philosophy that participation in every day tasks could restore function and health was central to the evolution of occupational therapy.
Meaningful occupation enhances mental and physical health, while encouraging socialisation and creativity. At Sussex Health Care we believe that providing quality care for older people and for people with learning and physical disabilities involves more than merely meeting physical needs.
At all our homes we aim to provide a full and active programme of recreational activities and of educational opportunities to help improve the quality of life for service users.
Recreational activities
Activities are aimed to stimulate, motivate and interest the individual, encouraging them to use their faculties to the fullest extent.
To achieve these aims we build a tailored programme to occupy the day with activities that are therapeutic, interesting and worthwhile. The activities selected will reflect a service user's previous life interests as well as their current level of ability. The individual's participation and initiative are encouraged and through activities old skills and interests are recalled and new ones learnt.
When we plan a programme we make sure that the activities:
- Encourage enjoyment, interest and a sense of fun
- Have a purpose, are not just designed to pass the time
- Aim at maximum independence in a supportive environment
- Provide a focus for the week, giving users something to look forward to
- Encourage self-awareness and self-worth
Activities vary and change within each of our homes. A programme is devised to enable choice and facilitate involvement in a range of activities, after service users are interviewed to find out their interests and preferences. The programme is then monitored regularly by the team and the manager of the home.
Opportunities for further education and training
Sussex Health Care works closely with Central Sussex College to offer service users the opportunity to continue their education. Courses are offered within individual homes on an outreach basis with the college. As part of their person centred plan, service users are also offered the opportunity to attend Central Sussex College as day students. An Occupational Therapist from Sussex Health Care regularly liaises with service users and the college to ensure that the right course is available. Students are truly included within the college campus.
St Margaret's School, part of The Children's Trust at Tadworth, also provide an accredited educational post-19 course for school leavers who wish to attend a very personalised programme of future education. The tutors from the school visit some of the Sussex Health Care services and provide an extremely varied curriculum for those young people with profound and multiple disabilities. The Children's Trust and Sussex Health Care work in close collaboration for the benefit of the service users.
Rapkyns Day Centre is a purpose-built service providing a recreational and educational environment for individuals. The day centre has an IT suite where individuals can access one-to-one sessions using different software applications, hardware adaptations including a variety of switches, and the opportunity to email.
The day centre also has art and craft facilities plus the opportunity to get involved in sensory cooking (which helps partially sighted people to cook by making use of all the senses). There is also a swimming pool with track hoisting and large changing facilities and staff are trained in hydrotherapy.
