"Recreational therapy can be a vitally important component of treatment for persons with physical, mental and/or emotional disabilities," Sawyer said. Treatments may include the use of arts and crafts, animals, sports, games, dance and movement, drama, music, and community outings.

Recreational therapists help individuals reduce depression, stress, and anxiety. They also help individuals recover basic motor functioning and reasoning abilities, build confidence, and socialize effectively to enable greater independence, as well as to reduce or eliminate the effects of illness or disability.

"Recreational therapy can help prevent declines in physical, cognitive and psychosocial functioning and may also help reduce secondary disability and lower health care costs for an individual," Sawyer said. "Yet another important benefit of recreational therapy is its ability to help integrate people with disabilities into the community, by helping them use community resources and recreational activities."

As the nation continues to downsize institutional health care settings and move individuals into community-based treatment models, the demand for recreational therapists is expected to grow. More information about recreational therapy is available from: