What is recreational therapy for veterans?

The purpose of recreation therapy (also called therapeutic recreation) is to improve overall quality of life for patients who have physical or cognitive challenges. By involving patients in recreational or sports activities they enjoy, and by focusing on their abilities, recreation therapy programs can help participants regain physical and mental skills and enhance self-confidence.

Recreation therapy designed especially for veterans takes into account military culture and specific injury types or medical issues common to the wounded warrior population. The focus is on combating psychological and physical barriers that can be encountered by injured veterans. Some of these barriers include:

• emphasis of military culture on self-reliance and “toughness”
• post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• sexual trauma
• traumatic brain injury (TBI)
• amputation
• spinal cord injury
• stroke

Recreational therapy can help you or your loved one adapt to a condition, speed recovery, avoid further medical complications, and reintegrate into family and community after military injury.