As a recreation therapist, Mary Afable (BA '06, Therapeutic Recreation, MA '24, Recreation and Leisure Studies) loves using leisure as a tool to help others improve and enhance their emotional, psychological and physical health.
She has worked as a recreation therapist with a focus in mental health for close to 20 years, starting with her first co-op experience at St. Joseph’s Healthcare in Hamilton.
Afable is employed at Grand River Hospital in Kitchener and transitioned from mental health recreational therapy to working with older populations about two years ago.
“It’s as if I still work in mental health in many ways,” says Afable. “As we age, we go through cognitive and physical changes that can impact our mental health, socialization and cognitive capabilities.”
According to the World Health Organization, approximately 14 per cent of adults aged 60 and older live with a mental disorder. These conditions are often under-recognized and under-treated due to the stigma of seeking help.
“The word most people often forget about is grief,” she says. “Something simple like not being able to walk as well – that person is grieving the fact that they enjoyed an activity that they can no longer participate in the way they used to.”
Redefining what leisure is to you
At Grand River, Afable and her colleagues use the Gentle Persuasive Approach (GPA) to lessen the tension when an individual is frustrated by the activities presented to them, especially for those living with dementia and other cognitive deficits.
She recalls bringing an elderly patient to a music therapy group, who became angry and began yelling, expressing that they were missing their cottage and wanted to go fishing.
The music therapist had selected songs from the past — Elvis, the Beatles, etc. — and a song from the Sound of Music came on.
The patient was trying to get out of their chair to walk away, but was having trouble because of their physical limitations, when they heard the song and suddenly stopped.
“They looked at me and asked if I knew this song and went into a story about how someone in the Austrian village where they were from used to sing it,” says Afable. “We sang along, and they became present with the activity. It was such a rewarding moment.”
One of the core parts of Afable’s practice is a concept called leisure education, which works to challenge how people define and re-define what is enjoyable to them. Leisure education includes having conversations with individuals about what leisure means to them and what their goals are, then exploring that person’s capacity and resources.
“It doesn’t have to be the activities that were historically viewed as leisure,” says Afable. “It’s more about the experience of what leisure is for them. We challenge those boundaries, and Waterloo did a great job in helping with that.”
Activities historically viewed as leisure might include swimming, sports, playing board games and dancing, but Afable encourages her patients to explore other activities, modified and adapted as needed, that bring them joy.
“Some of them, especially the older adults, find that folding clothes or tidying up is enjoyable and feels meaningful to them,” says Afable. “While some of these activities were typically seen as chores, we have the ability to redefine the things we do as leisure if we find pleasure in them. Everyone is different.”
Recognizing the privilege of leisure engagement
Afable grew up in Toronto but was born in the Philippines.
“In my culture, I was made to believe that to play is to waste time. I can’t speak for anyone else’s experiences, but that was mine,” she says. “I remember my dad saying, ‘What are you ’gonna do, play volleyball for life?’”
During her undergraduate studies at Waterloo, Afable says she was able to explore angles of leisure that she didn’t grow up with, including the long-term health benefits.
“When it was all said and done, he came to my graduation and I think he learned a lot about prioritizing his health because of the things I brought home with me – how going for a walk can be important; how recreational activities, including sports, play into our health and well-being. He was able to accept that.”
Throughout her years working as a recreation therapist, Afable noticed few people of colour were seeking recreational services in the spaces she worked in. She became curious about what the deterring factor might be, and if there was anything she could do about it.
Looking to find answers through research, Afable decided to pursue a master’s degree in Recreation and Leisure Studies at Waterloo after more than 15 years working in recreational therapy and mental health. Unfortunately, with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the passing of her father and the challenges of being a single mom, she had to take a step back.
Instead of giving up on graduate studies, Afable switched from a thesis-based program to the coursework program so she could continue the learnings.
“With the passion that I have, I still want to speak, and I’ve joined a few Equity, Diversity and Inclusion committees in support of therapeutic recreation in Ontario,” says Afable, who graduated this summer.
“I’m looking forward to seeing how, as an organization and with some of my colleagues, we can use research to enhance some of the work we do at the hospital with both a social justice lens and in mental health.”
Photo credit: Siyavash Izadi
