Episode 84 - Drew Finnson & Recreation Therapy in Rural Environments - The Transition from Life on the Farm to Palliative Care

by Erica Leniczek July 7, 2023

On this episode of the podcast, I had the pleasure of interviewing one of my long-time best friends, Drew Finnson! We chatted about her job as a recreation therapist in palliative care in rural Alberta, which involves helping people with disabilities and those in palliative care find hobbies and activities to enjoy. They also discussed Drew's "Farmers Workbook," which is a resource to help people in long-term care facilities engage with their farming memories. Drew works closely with clients and their families to provide them with the tools and ideas they need to stay connected.

Drew is a recreational therapist who works with people transitioning into palliative care. She suggests finding something that the client is internally motivated to do, such as a legacy project, and setting them up to do it independently or with family support. Drew also recommends providing purpose in their day-to-day activities, such as attending cognitive programs, exercising, crafting, and playing card games. She emphasizes that it is important to make sure that whatever they are doing makes them feel better and happy.

Recreational therapy can help improve mental health by providing activities that are enjoyable and tailored to the individual, such as exercise, spiritual activities, art, and trying new things. It can also help people adapt activities to their changing abilities, such as playing touch football instead of full football or using cardholders to play cards. It is important to find activities that make people feel good and have somebody to support them in their endeavours.

Finally, we discussed the importance of adapting to changes as we age, finding a hobby outside of our day-to-day life, and trying new things.

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If you’re looking for more great food & ag focused podcasts to listen to you can check out the Positively Farming Media playlist on Spotify. There you will find all of the podcasts on the Positively Farming Media Podcast Network just like The Rural Mindset Podcast. | Listen to the Positively Farming Playlist on Spotify