Therapeutic Recreation/
Child Life
At Voorhees Pediatric Facility, our Therapeutic Recreation/Child Life services are designed to meet the needs of each resident with the goal of maintaining their quality of life and meeting their developmental needs through recreation and play experiences.
Contact the Voorhees Pediatric Facility’s admissions department today to learn more about how our Child Life Department can benefit your child.
Who We Care For
Your Therapeutic Recreation /Child Life Care Team
At Voorhees Pediatric Facility, our Therapeutic Recreation and Child Life Department is staffed by Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialists, Certified Child Life Specialists and recreation assistants. Staff are specifically trained to understand the unique needs of children with medical complexities living in a long term care facility.
Recreation Therapy
Our Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialists work with your child to help them reach new levels of independence through recreation, leisure, and developmental activities. Opportunities are provided for exploration and development of leisure interests, attitudes and values within the facility and community.
Child Life
Additionally, our Certified Child Life Specialists aid children to develop positive coping mechanisms to help minimize stress and reduce anxiety during medical procedures and within the medical environment. Staff may accompany children to physician appointments to provide child life support, decrease anxiety and improve cooperation.
Recreation Services
Recreation assistants provide a varied and stimulating individualized activity program, designed to meet the needs of each resident. Recreation opportunities include arts, crafts, music, outdoor experiences, sensory stimulation, reading, games, cooking, social opportunities, gross & fine motor activities, community visitors, and trips.
Benefits of Therapeutic Recreation and Child Life Services:
Within a developmentally and sensory friendly environment, our focus is to maximize developmental, cognitive, physical and psychosocial strengths during recreation opportunities.
Our Therapeutic Recreation Services
At Voorhees Pediatric Facility, our therapeutic recreation services are designed to meet the needs of each resident with the goal of maintaining their quality of life through recreation experiences that are similar to those at home.
We continually evaluate the recreation and social needs and tailor activities to meet children’s interests and abilities. Activities may include:
- Individual, Small and Large Group Activities
- Interdisciplinary Groups and Co-treatments
- Infant/toddler Playgroup
- Religious Celebrations and Holiday Parties
- Community Outings
- Therapy Dog Visitation
- Cooking Group
- Teen Group
The OASIS Sensory Room allows children to use their senses and physical movements to interact with their environment. Children can explore fiber optic light strands, a water bed, and a bubble column, encouraging self-calming, body awareness, and stimulating sensory experiences.
Community Outings
The Recreation Therapy/Child Life Department offers trips to many locations in order to provide leisure opportunities, expand recreation interests, enhance life skills, and have fun connecting with the community in a new environment.
Outdoor Recreation Spaces
With wheelchair accessible swings and interactive playground equipment specifically positioned for access, the VPF playground offers opportunities for the children to participate in outside play. The Serenity Garden, located adjacent to the playroom offers a garden environment with a water feature and accessible planter.
Recreation Equipment
Specialized equipment is utilized to maximize each child’s recreation potential. Switch activated toys, specialized swings, positioning aids, adapted bicycles are available so that each child can participate to their fullest. To see some of the benefits of these technologies in action, watch the video below from our World Usability Day celebration.
Accessible Equipment & Events
The Voorhees Pediatric Facility playground gives all children the opportunity to play outside thanks to wheelchair-accessible swings and interactive playground equipment that’s specifically positioned for easy access.
Additionally, we offer several kinds of events to promote community and social interaction through structured group activities:
- Interdisciplinary Groups
- Sunday School & Religious Celebrations
- Community Outings
- Holiday Parties
- Infant/Toddler Playgroup
- School Integration
- Animal Visitation
- Theme Weeks
- Teen Group
Learn More About
VPF's Admissions Process Today
At Voorhees Pediatric Facility, our therapeutic recreation/child life services are included for those children who are admitted to the residential program and are given a care plan that spans multiple care departments.
To learn more about VPF’s admissions process, contact us today to schedule a consultation with our team to see how we can provide care for your child.
