-: Okay. Hello, my name is Stephanie Cruz.
My title name is Recreational Therapist.
We provide activities and programs,
recreational programs for patients that have disabilities,
that have illnesses, that have challenges,
emotional challenges as well.
And we try to make them welcome inside the center.
We provide many different modalities
like arts and crafts, games for them, as well as even plays.
We go everywhere with this.
You could be creative in this field.
Well, we make assessments for every single patient.
We go see them and as we know their illnesses
or their disability, we program activities
for them to enhance the wellbeing in the facility.
Well, I had one patient that
he was going through dialysis,
and he really didn't want to go on.
Every morning I used to bring him his coffee
and we used to talk,
just talk 'cause he didn't like any activities.
He didn't wanna join arts and crafts,
he didn't wanna join the sports group,
or the dominos group or any of these things.
He was just shut down.
So I sat with him every morning
and I brought him his coffee and that little bit of talking
and sensory activities and hand massages go a long way.
Sometimes it sounds silly
and people might think it's not working
but that little bond, like social bond,
and also sensory programs has gone a long way.
And I feel like that's my goal too
when I meet a resident that really doesn't want to do,
well doesn't want to live,
and doesn't want to involve himself
and no activities or even get his treatment
from the hospital or the nursing center.