Are there any social benefits of recreation therapy for veterans?

“Absolutely,” say the experts at the Lakeshore Foundation. Therapeutic recreation programs can provide comradery that is very beneficial. It can be so helpful to meet somebody else with a brain injury, visual impairment, or an amputation who is going through similar challenges, such as orientation regarding mobility with a new dog or a new cane. Empathy from someone who has had similar experiences or “walked in your shoes,” can be so much more valuable than just talking with medical professionals about your rehabilitation.

Yes. If you are an injured veteran, a therapeutic recreation program will give you and your family a valuable opportunity to socialize with others who are in similar situations. As Sarah Williams Volf, Director of Challenge Aspen Military Opportunities (CAMO) explains, if you have a disability, you may find yourself thinking, “I’m the only person here without a leg,” or “I’m the only person here who’s severely burned,” even if you are away on vacation. “So when they come to these camps and they see somebody who is equally disabled in a different way, it is a meaningful experience. For example, we went rafting on Saturday, and one of the young men had lost both eyes, and the other young man sitting at the front of the boat had had his eyes taped shut for 3 months because his eyelids had burned off - they had to save his eyes until could have skin grafts to make new eyelids for him. So, they were just sharing the commonality. He was saying ‘Hey I know what it is like buddy, when I was visually impaired.’ And then there was a young man who had lost his hands, and he was guiding, helping the man who was totally blind because he almost sees he is in a worse situation. . . . They are no longer just looking at themselves.”

“When everyone in a program has some challenge, they see that it is all in how you work with it. They get a lot of inspiration from each other, talk about goals, and they really connect, because none of it is forced. It is not as if they’re in a clinic or hospital. When they come here, and they have fun, and can sit and relax at dinner, there can be a lot of banter . . . It’s real - it is about building friendships and confidence.”

“Our family programs give the wives, and the parents, and the kids the time to connect - to reach out to other people who can empathize, so that when they go back home, they have a system of support. They can call each other when they have a bad day or share information about benefits or rehabilitation. The networking is huge.”

“It is also nice for the injured participants to be able to see their wives, and their kids, and their parents happy in their accomplishments. So it is not about sitting in a room talking about your injury like in a therapy session. There are always opportunities to talk but it is never forced. And that’s when I personally feel it is most powerful.”