Assisted Independence

09/25/2025

We’re excited to welcome Katie Reeves, one of our newest Recreational Therapists, to the Assisted Independence team!

Katie is a 2025 Indiana University graduate. She currently works in the Bloomington and Martinsville area in Indiana. Katie has experience with a variety of populations/ settings, such as assisted living, mental health, home and community- based settings, children’s summer camps, and substance use. Katie is passionate about advocating for people with disabilities and improving their quality of life. In her free time, Katie enjoys running, collaging, music, spending time with friends, and traveling.

Please give her a warm welcome!

09/24/2025

“The unique nature of the aquatic environment as a medium for exercise and physical activity has been comprehensively described. What is evident is that water-based exercise can confer a number of specific advantages, as compared to land-based exercise. As an environment that offers reduced weight-bearing stress, higher humidity levels, decreased heat load and a greater margin of therapeutic safety in terms of falls-risk, swimming/aquatic exercise is extremely well-placed to safely and effectively meet the needs of a wide-range of individuals, in both the treatment and prevention of physical health issues. Water-based exercise prescription should be a key consideration for health care clinicians and commissioners.“

Moffatt, F. (2017). The individual physical health benefits of swimming: a literature review. The health & wellbeing benefits of swimming, 8-25.

09/23/2025

Are you or a loved one looking for Recreational Therapy supports in MARTINSVILLE, BLOOMINGTON, & COLUMBUS INDIANA? We have therapists ready to support in these locations!

09/22/2025

“Therapeutic horseback riding influences the whole person and has a major effect on many body systems (Daly, 2000). This type of intervention has been reported to have physical, psychosocial, and educational benefits. The rationale explaining horseback riding as a therapeutic tool is based on the concept that riding provides a normal sensorimotor experience for the individual with a disability that contributes to the development, maintenance, rehabilitation, and enhancement of physical skills.”

Lessick, M., Shinaver, R., Post, K. M., Rivera, J. E., & Lemon, B. (2004). Therapeutic horseback riding. AWHONN lifelines, 8(1), 46-53.

09/19/2025

We are delighted to have Avery Fisher, C.T.R.S, join our Assited Independence team, bringing valuable expertise in therapeutic recreation and a commitment to promoting health and independence. Avery will also be assisting in a secondary role as our Interim Intake Coordinator. Looking forward to all of your accomplishments, Avery!

09/19/2025

Looking for job opportunities as a DIRECT SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL in any of these locations? Submit an application today!

https://lnkd.in/gwHYA2wU

This link will take you to a page that’s not on LinkedIn

09/18/2025

Big THANK YOU to everyone who joined us for the 2025 campring trips to Indiana Dunes, Indiana Beach, and Brown County State Park.

“The headline findings from the study are:

• Campers are more likely to be flourishing than non campers, particularly those who camp frequently.

• The strongest motivator for going camping is for feelings of happiness.

• Campers are happier and less anxious than non campers, particularly those who camp frequently, scoring significantly more positively on the ONS4 well-being questions.

• Campers have significantly higher levels across six key dimensions of psychological well-being than non campers.

• Campers feel significantly less stressed than non campers.

• Campers have significantly higher levels of nature connectedness and likely to spend slightly more time in nature than non campers.

• Camping provides a pathway for physical activity, with most campers spending time walking when on their camping trips.

• A key motivation for camping is to enjoy being in nature.

• People feel positive about healthcare professionals prescribing activities outdoors (including camping) instead of medication for a mental health issue.

• People strongly support the notion that education should offer opportunities for all children to go camping and learn in nature.”

Richards, K., Doran, A., Brett, C., Wingfield, H., & Schofield, P. (2022). The outjoyment report: A research report on the well-being and mental health benefits of camping.

Special THANK YOU to everyone who contributed to the success of the camping program.

09/17/2025

Are you or a loved one looking for Recreational Therapy supports in MARTINSVILLE, BLOOMINGTON, & COLUMBUS INDIANA? We have therapists ready to support in these locations!

09/16/2025

“Spending time in nature and feeling connected to nature have positive impacts on people’s mental health and wellbeing. There is evidence that undertaking physical activity in nature can provide benefits above and beyond the benefits from the physical activity, through an increased connection to nature.“

Kotera, Y., Lyons, M., Vione, K. C., & Norton, B. (2021). Effect of nature walks on depression and anxiety: a systematic review. Sustainability, 13(7), 4015.

09/15/2025

Check out our Employee Frequently Asked Questions here!

https://www.assistedindependence.care/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Employee-Frequently-Asked-Questions.pdfy r

09/12/2025

“Recreational therapy is a systematic process that uses recreation and other exercise treatment options to meet the identified needs of individuals to disease and/or disabling requirements in order to promote wellness, recovery, and well-being. In addition, "Sports and leisure Therapy" refers to a surface treatments which it helps to restore, remediate, & recover a person's functional abilities and autonomy in daily activities, promote health and wellness, and minimize potential activity limitations placed by an illness or disability. Recreational therapy is not all about having fun and playing games. There is a reason for the activities which are customised for each patient. When individuals experience physical injury and mental disorder, they require assistance in learning not only how to survive with their impairment, how to enhance the quality of life by alleviating isolation and encouraging participation in leisure activities.”

Kumar, A., & Kumar, R. (2022). Introduction and overview of recreational
therapy. International Journal of Health Sciences, 6(S3), 7841–7846.
https://doi.org/10.53730/ijhs.v6nS3.7876