A delphi study using expert consensus to develop a well-defined vision for a centre of excellence for therapeutic recreation in continuing care settings
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Date
2022
Authors
Hernesniemi, Silvo A. T.
University of Lethbridge. Faculty of Health Sciences
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Lethbridge, Alta. : University of Lethbridge, Faculty of Health Sciences
Abstract
There is an increasing demand for evidence-based practice and for the demonstration of client outcome achievement in therapeutic recreation (TR). There is also an ongoing need to research TR service provision in continuing care settings. The TR profession is well-suited to improving the well-being and quality of life of individuals living in continuing care facilities, however, current TR services are not standardized and vary greatly between settings and practitioners. Centres of Excellence are organizations that endeavour to establish high standards of practice in a specific profession or area of research. A Centre of Excellence could be instrumental in improving the delivery of quality TR services in continuing care settings. In this study, a Delphi expert consensus method was used to obtain a well-defined vision for a CoE for TR in continuing care settings. Three rounds of online questionnaires were completed by an expert panel of 11 TR professionals working in continuing care settings over a period of nine weeks. Based on the findings of this study, the participants came to the consensus that the vision of the CoE should be to inspire and advocate for quality TR services in continuing care settings through increased research and evidence-based practice. The findings from this study contribute to the development of a CoE for TR in continuing care settings that will be housed at the University of Lethbridge. They could also contribute to the development of additional CoEs for TR with other client populations—a topic that has been largely unexplored in the research literature.
Description
Keywords
therapeutic recreation , long-term care , continuing care , Centre of Excellence , Recreational therapy--Standards , Recreational therapy for older people--Standards , Life care communities--Recreational activities--Standards , Long-term care facilities--Recreational activities--Standards , Nursing homes--Recreational activities--Standards , Standardization , Older people--Recreation , Delphi method , Recreational therapists--Attitudes , Dissertations, Academic