February is National Therapeutic Recreation Month. This month signifies a platform to raise awareness on the positive impact recreation therapy programs and services provide. Recreation Therapy (RT) plays a pivotal role that focuses on improving over-all health and well-being. Recreation Therapists play a valuable role in promoting wellness through leisure for individuals with physical, cognitive, emotional, and social limitations as well as illness and disabling conditions. The services provided ensure that patients maintain or improve life skills, which will allow them to reach their full potential of independence. LA Health Services is a proud supporter of Recreation Therapy and the impact it makes on patients and families in our community.

Recreation Therapists at Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center pride themselves on employing treatment modalities that enhance the individual’s self-esteem, social, cognitive and physical functioning to facilitate continued growth in the rehabilitation process as well as to assist with the development of self-advocacy. Program planning is centered on specific patient goals and outcomes. The program mission is to provide an opportunity for our patient population to engage in a variety of activities such as special hospital-wide events, animal assisted therapy, aquatic therapy, adaptive outdoor adventure, fine arts programming, wellness, wheelchair sports and holistic alternatives such as aroma therapy, therapeutic seated Tai Chi and guided imagery to assist with pain and stress management. Activities such as gardening, virtual reality gaming and the facilitation of support groups all contribute to fostering increased functioning and improved quality of life.

Recreation Therapy is indeed an important component of quality patient care and with all LA Health Services facilities combined, countless contributions give our patients the skills to find meaning and purpose in their lives.

Adaptive Outdoor Adventure

Adaptive outdoor activities provide opportunities for participants to engage in a variety of activities within a Recreation Therapy facilitated program to enhance leisure exploration, promote healthy challenges, continued involvement in the rehabilitation process, overall quality of life, and the ability to establish new life goals for continued growth.

Animal Assisted Therapy

This is a goal-directed intervention in which an animal meeting specific criteria is an integral part of the treatment process to assist with functional outcomes.

Wheelchair Sports Program

Developed in 1987, the Rancho Wheelchair Sports Program offers Rancho Los Amigos patients with the opportunity to participate in success-oriented and competitive wheelchair sports activities. Many of Rancho’s wheelchair sports teams and athletes are among the best in the nation and ranked in the top ten teams in the nation.

Aquatic Therapy

Aquatic Therapy has many benefits that encompass a patient’s health and well-being including the improvement of physical functioning, strength and endurance, range of motion and increased gait and balance.

To learn more about the Recreation Therapy Department at Rancho Los Amigos, visit our website by scanning the QR code below.

Thank you to the Rancho Los Amigos Foundation and Las Floristas for their generous contributions to the Recreation Therapy Programs offered at Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center.

For more questions, please contact Christina Randle- Recreation Therapy Supervisor-(562)385-6323