��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge to double online spaces in therapeutic recreation program

caroline.zentner — Tue, 07 Feb 2023 22:05:28 +0000

Given an aging population and increased interest in online learning, which has accelerated since the COVID-19 pandemic, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is doubling the number of online seats in its Bachelor of Therapeutic Recreation program.

Therapeutic Recreation faculty members include Zac Crouse, Dr. Sienna Caspar and Devan McNeill.

“We are doubling the number of seats to 64 to keep up with demand,” says Devan McNeill, an instructor in the program. “We’ve had a waitlist for a few years as demand for our program has grown across Canada. We take students from British Columbia to Newfoundland.”

The Faculty of Health Sciences first offered the online program in 2015. It has proven to be a popular choice for students, as the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ typically receives four times more applications than seats available. Training more therapeutic recreation professionals now will help fill the demand for such workers in the years ahead as the population ages.

“All indicators see growth in the profession, especially as the baby boomer generation ages,” says McNeill. “This will increase the need for recreation therapy in long-term care facilities, in hospital and clinical settings, and in community care. Our program is profession-based, similar to nursing, and our graduates can apply to recreation therapist positions across Canada.”

The online program offers students increased flexibility in how they complete the program. They can study full- or part-time, fit classes into their schedule and remain in their home communities, which helps reduce costs.

The additional online spaces will be available beginning in Fall 2023. Visit the program website for more information.

Friend of Health Sciences Award honours influential therapeutic recreation expert

caroline.zentner — Tue, 18 Sep 2018 16:38:16 +0000

With more than 45 years of experience working and teaching in therapeutic recreation, Dr. Jerome (Jerry) Singleton was the perfect person to advise the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge when it established a therapeutic recreation degree program.

The U of L seconded Singleton from the School of Health and Human Performance, Recreation and Leisure Studies Division at Dalhousie ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ to help develop the program, a job he accomplished in six months of intense and driven work. In honour of his contribution, the Faculty of Health Sciences is presenting Singleton with this year’s Friend of Health Sciences Award.

“I worked with excellent faculty and staff at the U of L, so it was an enjoyable time,” says Singleton. “When I heard about previous recipients of this award and that they, on average, gave 20 to 35 years to their respective fields, I said ‘This is a great honour to be recognized for six months work with the faculty.’ It’s outstanding; I was shocked.”

Singleton entered the field of therapeutic recreation after having summer jobs where he worked with children with disabilities and found that it aligned with what he wanted to do — give a voice to those individuals who have been marginalized and empower them to reach their optimal level of ability. In the last 30 years, Singleton has worked with people who have dementia and helped train generations of people who now work in the field.

“Inclusion is a gradual process and I think it’s getting there,” he says. “We have more champions across Canada and there’s great leadership through Alberta Therapeutic Recreation Association (ATRA) and the Canadian Therapeutic Recreation Association (CTRA). We’re moving in a direction in Canada that the persons who are going to be providing service will have a minimum entry of practice standards.”

“Jerry’s contributions to our program are immeasurable,” says Dr. Chris Hosgood, dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences. “We have a first-class therapeutic recreation program thanks to Jerry’s generosity, expertise and dedication.”

Singleton arrived in Lethbridge in January 2015. Preliminary work had been done by Dr. Dayna Daniels, a faculty member, and Tristan Hopper, a PhD student at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta. Along with support from faculty and staff in health sciences and at Lethbridge College and the ATRA, Singleton began setting up the program within the guidelines of the Committee of Accreditation of Recreational Therapy Education (CARTE) and the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC).

“It really was an opportunity to give back to the profession, to move the profession forward, but also give us another solid therapeutic recreation program that’s out west,” says Singleton.

The program was designed to meet the requirements for accreditation and graduates are prepared to complete the national certification exam to become a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist. A therapeutic recreation advisory committee was established to provide consistent input. In the first year of the program, Devan McNeill taught three on-campus classes and Hopper provided two distance education classes. When additional faculty members were hired, Drs. Sienna Caspar and Pei-Chun Hsieh, all courses were provided on campus and Zac Crouse was hired to teach many online/blended courses.

“The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge really has a very innovative therapeutic recreation program and it’s because the village of the Faculty of Health Sciences empowered the creation and delivery of this program, with connections to the ATRA and Lethbridge College,” says Singleton.

The award will be presented to Singleton at the Friend of Health Science dinner on Oct. 4 at 6 p.m. in the U of L Students’ Union Ballrooms. Tickets are $50 each or $400 for a table of eight and are available online at Friend of Health Sciences.

UNews - Devan McNeill

��Ѹ�����Դ���߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge to double online spaces in therapeutic recreation program

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Friend of Health Sciences Award honours influential therapeutic recreation expert

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��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge to double online spaces in therapeutic recreation program