Serving the New Poor: Therapeutic Recreation Values in Hard Times

Authors

  • Miriam P Lahey

Keywords:

Therapeutic Recreation, Poverty, Professional Ethics, Acute/Chronic Care Models, Common Good.

Abstract

The current economic hard times promise to continue with still further constraints, especially in third-party payment for medical and social services. The competitive spirit generated by shrinking resources can precipitate a conflict of values, for hard times require from the professions greater attention to the common good and the tempering ofself-interest by altruism. Rising inequities already accompany the slowing economic growth. Three groups suffering these inequities are singled out for therapeutic recreation's consideration-the children of the poor, the working poor, and the frail elderly living in the community. These "new" poor are not well served by the acute-care model of health service with which therapeutic recreation has increasingly identified. A home-care/chronic-care model would be more appropriate. In order to fulfill its professional duty to the common good, therapeutic recreation has a role to play in the shaping of public policy to include these groups and others on the fringes of our health and social-welfare systems.

Published

1991-04-01

Issue

Section

Regular Papers