Person Centered Care and the Activity/Recreation Professional

Debbie Hommel BA, CRA, ACC, CRTS, Executive Director of DH Special Services
of Activity Directors Office has made some excellent suggestions for person centered care and the Activity Professional
Debbie is dedicated to helping Activity Professionals with the daily operation of their department.

Person Centered Care and the Activity/Recreation Professional

by Debbie Hommel, BA, CRA, ACC, CRTS

Here is a portion of what she wrote:

Activities that are meaningful: What makes an activity meaningful? Meaningful activities are those that relate to the interests and needs of the person.
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Activities that reflect person’s lifestyle and interests: Again, a good assessment will allow the activity professional to offer the right programs and use the appropriate skills to interest and engage the resident in the program.
Examples: Many of the same activities which were listed for meaningful programs apply here as well.

Activities that are enjoyable: In order to find joy in a program, the individual needs to feel some measure of success and a “return” on their participation.
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Activities that make the person feel useful: The loss of purpose or the feeling that you are not needed anymore is one of the most devastating losses of any person, including our elderly population. Many residents have lived long,
productive lives. Arriving at the point where they are told to“sit and relax”is depressing at best.
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Activities that give a sense of belonging: The activity community which includes a variety of
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This information is particularily valuable in light of the new interpretations of CMS activity guidelines and potential F tags

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