Health, Exercise, and Sports Sciences ETDs

Publication Date

5-7-1979

Abstract

The Problem

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the recreational services and programs at State Administered Residential Health Care Institutions in New Mexico, and to make recommendations regarding the improvement of those recreational services or programs that were identified as being deficient.

Procedures

The evaluative instrument, Recommended Standards with Evaluative Criteria for Recreation Services in Residential Institutions, developed by Dr. Doris Berryman (1971) was the instrument utilized to evaluate the State Institutions. Three member rating panels were established for each of the eight institutions examined. Data were collected, analyzed, and reported according to the instructions accompanying the evaluative instrument. The evaluative criteria and sub-criteria for each standard, identified in the Berryman Instrument, formed the basis for the percentage scores that were reported. These scores identified the degree, or percentage, to which standards were met at the institutions being evaluated. The percentage scores also were utilized as the basis for identifying the deficiencies in the recreational services and programs at the institutions.

Findings

Study results indicated that there were identifiable deficiencies in the recreational services and programs at the evaluated institu­tions. Specific recommendations for improvement of the recreational services and programs were also identified for the institutions. These recommendations were both on an individual and group basis. Based on the data analysis the overall rating of the recreational services and programs that were offered at the eight New Mexico Residential Health Care Institutions was fair.

Conclusions

1. There were identifiable deficiencies in the recreational services and programs at the institutions examined.

2. The recommendations, which were made, could assist in alleviating the identified deficiencies and in helping the institutions meet the identified standards. This would improve the total recreational services and programs that were offered at the institutions in New Mexico.

Recommendations

1. New Mexico should establish a recreation referral system for those patients soon to be discharged.

2. The State should insist that candidates for recreational positions possess the highest possible professional qualifications.

3. Joint community/institutional use of facilities should be encouraged.

4. A programming system to insure that the recreational need

and interests of the patients are considered should be implemented on a statewide basis.

5. At the State level, an efficient and simplified State administrative structure should be developed and implemented for management of the State system of institutions.

6. Additional State funding should be provided for the development of recreation areas and facilities at the institutions

7. The Berryman Instrument should be revised or modified to avoid excess duplication. A weighting system that considers the values of the different categories should be developed. The values and aspects of recreation as a prescriptive therapeutic tool should be addressed in the instrument.

Summary

The study resulted in specific recommendations that related to the areas of philosophy and goals, administration, personnel, programming, areas and facilities, and evaluation and research. The recreational aspects of these six categories, as they relate to recreation in the institutional setting, were examined by use of the Berryman Instrument. A detailed analysis of the recreational setting at the selected institutions was presented. Detailed recommendations for improvement were also presented. The major aim was to recommend actions that would improve the recreational programs and services at the State Administered Residential Health Care Institutions in New Mexico.

Implementation

The results and recommendations were submitted to the responsible administrator at each of the eight surveyed institutions. It was the responsibility of the appropriate authorities to implement those portions of the study recommendations they believed were valuable. As of the publication of this study no responses had been received from the institutions, as to their implementation efforts.

Document Type

Dissertation

Language

English

Degree Name

Physical Education

Level of Degree

Doctoral

Department Name

Health, Exercise, and Sports Sciences

First Committee Member (Chair)

Steve Rubio

Second Committee Member

Leon E. Griffin

Third Committee Member

Frank Edward Papcsy

Fourth Committee Member

Armond H. Seidler

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