A Therapeutic Recreation Camp for Children With Congenital Heart Disease: Examining Impact on the Psycho-social Well-being of Caregivers and their Children

Therapeutic recreation camps are thought to be an effective context to improve the psycho-social functioning among children with congenital heart disease. However, there is limited research regarding their impact on caregivers. Nine caregivers participated in two interviews before and after their children attended Camp Oki. Caregivers discussed their perceptions of their children's camp experience, and identified the psycho-social utility of camp for themselves and their children. Camp allowed caregivers to let their children grow and be independent, and to engage in less restricting behaviours. Camp also provided caregivers with respite care, which alleviated their need to be `cardiac' caregivers. Lastly, camp equipped children with self-confidence and independence, and offered them the opportunity to interact with their peers and be exposed to new activities. These findings strength the case for therapeutic recreation camps and underscore the importance of expanding camp access to more families affected by congenital heart disease.M.Sc