2017 NAAP Scavenger Hunt

Where does the pressure to hold groups come from? Challenge yourself to actually answer. Is it from your corporation, your administrator, yourself, residents, family members, other professionals, regulations, or our own profession? Whew. Right there, that’s a lot of potential pressure. I want to encourage you to study and think about this with me and […]

Part 1 of Discovering DRTA: Recreational Therapy in Australia provided a brief history of Recreational & Diversional Therapy in Australia along with the DRTA’s philosophy and its organizational timeline. There are similarities and overlap between Diversional and Recreation Therapists in Australia with Recreational Therapists and Activity Professionals in the US. They work in many of […]

Launching or relaunching a volunteer program is no small feat! It takes some real elbow grease to make it happen, preceded by some gentle but effective head-scratching! However, with planning and garnering feedback from your co-workers and management, it can be a very positive experience, leading to a beautiful celebratory occasion on the ribbon-cutting day! […]

A few weeks ago I was fortunate to be able to attend a live webinar given by Jill Vitale-Aussem, President/CEO of Christian Living Communities and former President/CEO of the Eden Alternative. Jill spoke with authenticity and passion about transitioning our elder-care communities from being customer-service driven to citizen-driven, and I was inspired to learn more […]

As NAAP’s International Development Director, I have the opportunity to participate in monthly “Global Leaders” meetings with Presidents of the National Activity Providers Association (UK), Diversional Therapy Association Japan, Canadian Therapeutic Recreation Association, American Therapeutic Recreation Association, New Zealand Society of Diversional and Recreational Therapy (NZSDRT), and Diversional and Recreation Therapy Australia. Each month, a […]

Author’s Preface While writing this article, two songs “Remember Me” from the Disney/PIXAR movie Coco and “Eleanor Rigby” by The Beatles played through my mind.  The song “Remember Me” is first introduced in a mariachi style, as a plea from Ernesto to his fans to keep him in their minds even as he tours in […]