Lessons Learned Now in Print

I learned yesterday that Lessons Learned: An Open Letter to Recreational Therapy Students and Practitioners has arrived from the printers at Sagamore Publishing. I hope to get my personal copies in the next day or two.

Linda Hutchinson-Troyer

I have been attempting to reach Linda Hutchinson-Troyer. Does anyone happen to have Linda's email address? If so, would you be so kind as to send it along to me at daustin@indiana.edu

VA Summer Sports Clinic

From Disability.gov I learned that the VA sponsored third National Veterans Summer Sports Clinic will be September 19 - 25 in San Diego. The clinic teaches recently injured Veterans a variety of recreational skills.

Allied Health Education Summit in September

I recently received the message below from the American Medical Association (AMA)Health Care Careers e-Letter:

Register now for allied health education summit, September 22-23 in Chicago

"Building the Allied Health Workforce of the 21st Century," a summit meeting sponsored by the Health Professions Network (HPN), will be held September 22-23 in Chicago at the Hilton O’Hare. http://enews.ama-assn.org/t/1368256/56927/292/0/

With the impending surge of baby boomers turning 65 and changes in the US health care system, it is critical to ensure an adequate supply of trained health professionals.

At the summit, allied health program directors, administrators, college and university administrators, and others involved in educating allied health
professionals will join together to discuss common issues and identify best practices in allied health education.

Note: Space is limited to 75 participants, so register now! Also, Our early registration discount expires on August 31.

Rooms at the Hilton O’Hare are available at a special discount rate of $169 per night.

As a special bonus, summit attendees will be eligible for a 50% discount (for their organization or institution) when registering for the November 18 HPN Webinar on accreditation.

Diane and Joan Both Did Well

Both Diane Rehm and my wife, Joan Austin, did really well this morning in the discussion of epilepsy on the Diane Rehm Show. Hope you were able to listen.

Potential Power of Listserv

For some reason, I'm on the Tourism and Hospitality Listserv. I'm one of 4,300 members.

Members were asked in a survey: "How strong are the following vehicles as a communication tool for hospitality and tourism educators?"

It was interesting to me that ranked at the top was the listserv. Here was the ranking:

1. listserv
2. websites
3. associations
4. conferences
5. newsletters
6. journals
7. magazines
8. social media

These results particularly caught my eye because ATRA recently began a listserv. The ATRA listserv seems to be regularly used by the 155 ATRA members who have signed up for it. I've enjoyed reading the messages that have appeared. But I am still preplexed that only 155 members have signed on to the ATRA listserv.

If you are an ATRA member, I would urge you to go to the ATRA website and sign up to be a member of the ATRAnet Listserv.

Listen to Diane Rehm Show Monday on Computer

If your local PBS station does not carry the Diane Rehm Show, you can listen to the program on epilepsy Monday (11:00AM ET)on your computer. Go to www.drshow.org

Diane Rehm Show to Have Discussion on Epilepsy

My better half, Distinguished Professor Emerita Joan Austin, will appear this Monday, August 23rd, on the PBS Radio program, the Diane Rehm Show (11:00AM EDT). She will be talking about epilepsy. Tune it!

Opening at Wyoming State Hospital

Kathy Argyle, CTRS ((307) 789-3464 ext. 468; Kathy.argyle@health.wyo.gov) has announced an opening:

The Wyoming State Hospital in Evanston, Wyoming has an open, entry level, CTRS position available. Following is the job posting and information to apply on line. Please feel free contact me for more information and pass this along to anyone who may be searching for a new adventure in their career!

Recreational Specialist Class

Code:HSRA07-17198 Department of
Health , Evanston. Preferences: Bachelors
degree. Must currently hold or obtain a certification
from the National Council for Therapeutic
Recreational Certification ( NCTRC) to be a
Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist
(CTRS) within one year of hire. Identify
client specific strengths and needs through
formal assessment, develop and carry out
therapeutic interventions consistent with the
clients' needs and interests and provide
treatment services, using a variety of
techniques, to address areas of need and
promote positive change to increase success
in the community upon discharge. Hiring
Range ($3,315.00 - $3,900.00 Per Month)
Open Until Filled. EEO/ADA Employer

** To apply on line, go to the link below. You will have to create a profile. The recruitment i.d. is 17198 & the position is HSRA07.

Click on the Department of Health & the location is Evanston.

https://egov.state.wy.us/

RTV Videos Can be Streamed for Free

With some faculty beginning to organize for fall classes, I thought I should repeat the procedures followed in order to view an RTV video.

So below I've provided the easy steps in order to view a video:

1. Go to the website address: https://scholarworks.iu.edu/dspace/handle/2022/3378
2. Up will come a page from the IU Scholar Works that reads Recreation Therapy Videos
3. Below Recreation Therapy Videos is a list of the 23 RTV videos
4. To view one of the videos, just click on the title and information on the video will appear
5. Simply click on the address (that appears following the word Location) and the video will come up
6. Just click on the arrow in the center of the black screen to start the video.

Some faculty have their students view an RTV video prior to a class. If you are doing this, be sure to provide the above instructions to students.

Reminder: Instructors' Guide & PowerPoints Available

I know some faculty are getting together their course materials for the fall term. So I wanted to remind you the if you are using Austin's Therapeutic Recreation Processes and Techniques (6th edition) that both an Instructors' Guide and a set of PowerPoint slides that accompany the book are available from Sagamore Publishing.

I truly believe that the Instructor's Guide for Therapeutic Recereation Processes and Techniques (6th edition) is the most complete guide of its type that has been published in our field. In case you adopted the book but haven't gotten the Instructor's Guide, just request it (and the PowerPoint slides) from Sagamore Publishing, Inc.

More (as promised) on Lessons Learned

I few posts ago, I promised to share more information on my new book, Lessons Learned: An Open Letter to Recreational Therapy Students and Practitioners. Well, here it is.

I modeled Lessons Learned after Yalom's book, The Gift of Therapy: An Open Letter to a New Generation of Therapists and Their Patients. Like Yalom, I based the book on my experiences during my 45 years in our profession.

Lessons Learned contains 69 short, easily consumable lessons (chapters)covering a variety of topics that RTs experience in their practice. I attempted to write in an accessable, non academic style that would be easy to read -- and hopefully make for interesting reading. I hope you read Lessons Learned and like it.

No News on Eletronic Version of Lessons Learned

Doug Sanders of Sagamore Publishing contacted me today to tell me that Sagamore is still deciding how to release the eletronic version of my book, Lessons Learned: An Open Letter to Recreational Therapy Students snd Practitioenrs. I'll post information about the eletronic version as soon as I have it.

Lessons Learned Print Copies Due August 25th

Just earlier today, I learned from Doug Sanders at Sagamore Publishing that my new book, Lessons Learned: An Open Letter to Recreational Therapy Students and Practitioners, is scheduled to back from the printers on August 25th.

University instructors may contact Sagamore Publishing to obtain a desk copy by going to the Sagamore Publishing website and completing a form, or by calling (217) 359-5940, or by emailing at books@sagamorepub.com

Austin's Lessons Learned to be Published

I just saw an announcement from Sagamore Publishing that a new Sagamore book was at the printers. The book is Lessons Learned: An Open Letter to Recreational Therapy Students and Practitioners by some guy named David R. Austin (aka,the Hoosier RT).

It pleases me that Lessons Learned is about to be published. I'll be sure to share more information about the book in future posts.

Adapted Rec Workshop in Eugene

I just received a communication from Michael Ratliff of Oregon State Hospital. He reports that on September 10th Bob Riley of NCTRC will be the featured speaker at the City of Eugene Adapted Recreation Fall Workshop.

Instructor's Guide and PowerPoints Available

About this time last year the 6th edition of David Austin's Therapeutic Recreation Processes and Techniques was published by Sagamore Publishing, Inc.

Because it was published just before the start of the academic year, I am afraid some may have missed it and those that did know about the book may have not seen the Instructor's Guide and PowerPoint slides that those adopting the book may have.

I must say that the Instructor's Guide for Therapeutic Recereation Processes and Techniques (6th edition)may be the most complete guide of its type that has been published in our field. In case you adopted the book but haven't gotten the Instructor's Guide, it (and the PowerPoint slides) is available from Sagamore Publishing, Inc.

The 12 Warning Signs of Health

1. Persistent presence of support network.
2. Chronic positive expectations; tendency to frame events in constructive light.
3. Episodic peak experiences.
4. Sense of spiritual involvement.
5. Increased sensitivity.
6. Tendency to adapt to changing conditions.
7. Rapid response and recovery of adrenaline system due to repeated challenges.
8. Increased appetite for physical activity.
9. Tendency to identify and communicate feelings.
10. Repeated episodes of gratitude and generosity or related emotions.
11. Compulsion to contribute to society.
12. Persistent sense of humor.

From: Nathan, A.A. (2003). The art of recreation therapy: Using activities as assessment tools. San Francisco: Study Center Press, p. 39. (Original source listed as: Collected from bulletin board, Waldport, Ore: author unknown).

ATRA's Listserv has 154 Subscribers

I just sent out a message on ATRAnet, ATRA's listserv. When I received the notice that it had gone out, there was an indication that 154 ATRA members are on ATRA's listserv.

I'm pleased to see the number has gone up to 154 since the last time I saw a count. I believe it was about 2 weeks ago when, if I recall correctly, there were 144 signed up for ATRAnet.

I hope more and more ATRA members choose to be on ATRAnet. It is a great way to get out information.

RTs Don't Seem to Use Eletronic Communications

ATRA maintains a Members' Forum on its website to allow communications among a variety of groups, including educators, ATRA Distinguished Fellows, and past-presidents. Yet these are rarely used.

On April 15, 2010, the ATRA Board of Directors entered into an agreement with Oklahoma State University to establish and maintain a listserv called ATRAnet. This ATRA listserv has been a wonderful addition to ATRA member services. There have been any number of interesting posts made on it. Yet, I think there are only about 150 members who have signed up for ATRAnet. And it is easy to sign up for ATRAnet. Members just have to go to the ATRA website for instructions.

It concerns me that more RTs don't use the Members' Forum or ATRAnet. I wonder why this is?

We have such wonderful communications options open to us today -- and yet they remain under used. To me, this is a shame.