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News

Summer in China
The Department of RTH, in partnership with the Office of Campus Activities & Programs, are pleased to sponsor a short term summer abroad program to China.
[read more]

GEC's in RTH
RPM 101 (Social and Behavioral Science)
HTM 251 (GLOBAL)

Pre-Occupational Therapy or Pre-Physical Therapy Program
Students seeking admission into a Master of Science program in OT or PT may declare a major in Recreation and Parks Management, with an emphasis in Therapeutic Recreation.
[read more]

UNCG Student Sustainability Survey
A report from the Spring 2008 UNCG Student Sustainability Survey.
[view survey]

Pet Partners Program
The Pet Partners program prepares handlers and their pets to work in animal assisted activities and animal assisted therapy programs.
[read more]

[information on the Oct. 25th Pet Partners class]

Wheelchair Biking
Four of Dr. Lin Buettner's Therapeutic Recreation students participated in a wheelchair biking program at Whitestone-A Masonic and Eastern Star Community.
[Wheelchair Biking Research Video]

Simple Pleasures Manual
The Simple Pleasures research team investigated the effects of 30 handmade recreational items on the behavior of nursing home residents with dementia. Twenty-three items were found therapeutically valuable in nursing home use. The Simple Pleasures manual includes instructions for building and directions for using these items.
[To order a manual]

New Search Feature for HTM Jobs
Check out the new hcareers Quick Job Search box on the Hotel Restaurant Management, or Travel and Tourism Management web pages.

Therapeutic Recreation And Inclusive Networks (TRAIN)
Research on best practices in inclusive community recreation currently being conducted in RTH.
[ read more ]

Linda Buettner, Ph.D., CTRS

Dr. Buettner is a professor of gerontology and therapeutic recreation. Her main research for the past 12 years has been the examination of therapeutic programs for older adults with dementia and secondary symptoms.

Research
Dr. Buettner has conducted the following funded studies: Therapeutic recreation-nursing teams: a therapeutic intervention for nursing home residents (Buettner & Ferrario, 1997); Rural vs. urban caregivers of older adults with probable Alzheimer’s disease: perceptions regarding daily living and recreational needs (Buettner & Langrish, 1999); Simple Pleasures: a multi-level sensori-motor intervention for nursing home residents with dementia (Buettner, 1999); AD-Venture: Therapeutic biking for the treatment of depression in long-term care residents with dementia (2002); Efficacy of prescribed TR protocols on falls and injuries in nursing home residents with dementia (2002); Therapeutic recreation interventions for need-driven dementia-compromised behaviors in community-dwelling elders (2003). Health Promotion for the Mind, Body, and Spirit: A college course for older adults with dementia (2003); Predicting Outcomes of Therapeutic Recreation Interventions for Older Adults with Dementia and Behavioral Symptoms (2006); Peace of Mind: a pilot community based program for older adults with memory loss (2006); Recreation clubs: An outcome-based alternative to daycare for older adults with memory loss (2006).

Dr. Buettner has more than peer reviewed 40 publications in a variety of therapeutic recreation, nursing and multidisciplinary journals, including the Journals of Gerontology; Therapeutic Recreation Journal; American Journal of Recreation Therapy; Journal of Gerontological Nursing; Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders; and Journal of Activities, Adaptation, and Aging. Dr. Buettner is the author of Therapeutic Recreation in the Nursing Home (1995), Simple Pleasures (1999), Dementia Practice Guidelines (2003) and several other books.
Dr. Buettner is the Editor in chief for the American Journal of Recreation Therapy and Activities Director’s Quarterly.

Current research underway:
Project Title: A Prescription to Enhance Resident Quality of Life. Funded by NIH/NINR [1R01-NR008910-01A1], 2005-2009. (Kolanowski, A. PI, PSU) The primary aim of this study is to test the efficacy of recreational activities derived from the NDB model in reducing agitation and passivity and improving engagement, affect and mood in nursing home residents with dementia. For more information, visit the Quality of Life web site (Co-PI Buettner, UNCG)
Kolanowski, A., Litaker, M., and Buettner, L. (2005). Efficacy of theory-based activities for behavioral symptoms of dementia. Nursing Research, 54 (4), 219-228.
Kolanowski, A., Buettner, L., Litaker, M.,& Yu, F. (2006). Factors that relate to activity engagement in nursing home residents. American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias, 21 (1), 15-22 .
Kolanowski, A., Buettner, L., & Moeller, J. (2006). Treatment fidelity plan for an activity intervention designed for persons with dementia. American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias , 21 (5), 326-332.
Buettner, L., Kolanowski, A. & Yu, F. (submitted). Recreational games: Simple and effective cognitive stimulation programs for residents with dementia in long-term settings. American Journal of Recreational Therapy.
Burgener, S.C., Buckwalter, K.C., Buettner, L. Beattie, E., Bosson, A., Fick, D. et al. (in press) Evidence supporting nutritional interventions for persons in early stage Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). Journal of Nutrition, Health, and Aging.
Burgener, S.C., Buckwalter, K.C., Buettner, L. Beattie, E., Bosson, A., Fick, D. et al. (in press) Evidence supporting multi-modal interventions for persons in early stage Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). Journal of Geriatric Nursing Research.
Buettner, L.L., Richeson, N., Burgener, S.C., Buckwalter, K.C.,. Beattie, E., Bosson, A., Fick, D. et al. (in press) Evidence supporting exercise interventions for persons in early stage Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). American Journal of Recreation Therapy.
PROJECT TITLE: Dementia Training to Promote Involvement in Meaningful Activity Grant #: 2007-067 – Kathleen Buckwalter and Marianne Smith PIs, Linda Buettner, Co-PI.
PROJECT GOAL: The goal of this project is to promote quality of life for persons with dementia, reduce factors that cause or contribute to behavioral symptoms and unnecessary medication use, and facilitate compliance with CMS regulations by implementing an evidence-based training program that targets use of meaningful, personalized activity-based interventions in the daily care of persons with dementia, emphasizing interventions that are understandable, useable, and accessible by all team members* on a day-to-day basis.

Teaching /Learning
Dr. Buettner has developed and implemented an online curriculum of gerontology, recreation therapy, and Geriatric Recreation Therapy Master’s program. This program was funded by an interdisciplinary HRSA grant to infuse gerontology at the Master’s level. Additionally, Dr. Buettner has developed and tested a variety of courses for older adults and their care providers. Please see the list below:
N.E.S.T.: interdisciplinary dementia practice guideline (2007) provides evidence based programming suggestions and procedures for healthcare settings. Training program available.
Simple Pleasures: multilevel sensory motor intervention (1999). Training program available.
Pet Encounters (2006): AAT for frail older adults. Training program available.
Depression in Older Adults: recreation therapy practice recommendations (in press).
Service / Practice
Dr. Buettner is a licensed instructor for the Delta Society programs: Pet partners, AAT, and a licensed team evaluator. She developed and tested a therapy system using animal assisted therapy called Pet Encounters. She continues to visit special schools, hospitals, and nursing homes with her Pet Partner Booboo Nimbus.
Dr. Buettner served on the national Early Stage Task Force for the Alzheimer’s Association 2006-2007 and leads the research group known as “Dementia Day Camp”.
Dr. Buettner is a licensed in Utah and North Carolina as a Recreation Therapist and nationally certified as a CTRS. She provides recreation therapy services in a variety of clinical, volunteer, and research settings.

Page updated: 11-Jul-2008

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