Background: Advancing nursing leadership education is essential for cultivating future leaders who can positively affect outcomes for health care providers and patients. However, limited literature explores experiential learning experiences within adventure therapy interventions, such as a low ropes course (e.g., an outdoor challenge constructed close to the ground), to promote the learning of leadership skills. This article explores baccalaureate nursing students' learning during a leadership training session on a low ropes course. Method: Nursing students engaged in four elements of the low ropes course to work on leadership skills, such as applying leadership styles, trust building, and professional accountability. Results: Students who engaged in this teaching strategy on a low ropes course as an adventure therapy intervention reported enhanced learning of leadership skills. Conclusion: Nursing students could benefit from using adventure therapy interventions, such as a low ropes course, to learn and practice leadership skills for future implications in practice.

Recreational therapists work in a broad field with numerous service settings for individuals with disabilities. Students' learning may be enhanced by providing opportunities during class time to implement services for more unfamiliar populations. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate students' reflections from a class time fieldwork experience (CTFE) in a recreational therapy (RT) class with adolescents who engage in health-risk behaviors. A retrospective, qualitative content analysis of 111 RT students' perspectives was used for this study, and two main themes emerged: exposure to an unfamiliar community population and identifying personal biases and judgments. Implications are identified for RT educators and practitioners to apply these findings to future CTFEs, internships, and employment opportunities.

Background/Objectives: Adaptive sports engagement has been strongly studied for physical and social gains for athletes with disabilities, with much less investigation into adaptive sports encompassing holistic health (i.e., reaching domains of physical, social, cognitive, emotional, and spiritual). Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore adaptive sport participants' perspectives on their engagement in sport as a complementary and holistic intervention to improve resiliency, promote health, and live in recovery. Methods: This study employed a qualitative, phenomenological, and participatory action research design to explore how individuals with disabilities perceive their engagement in adaptive sports. Data were collected from eligible participants across the United States, aged 12 years and older, who provided open-ended responses via survey detailing their adaptive sport experiences. Results: Adaptive sport participants (n = 47), primarily male (n = 26), and White (n = 37) with a range of ages 12-75, provided qualitative findings that formed three deductive themes with further inductive subthemes: (1) Improving Resiliency highlighting promotive and protective factors supporting resilience development, (2) Promoting Health defined by World Health Organization's holistic health definition, and (3) Living in Recovery framed by the Health Protection/Health Promotion Model. Conclusions: For this sample of adaptive sport participants across the United States, engagement in adaptive sports is seen as a complementary and holistic health intervention that achieves outcomes beyond just physical and social. Key aspects of adaptive sports were shown to be vital for building resiliency through the disability community environment, improving holistic health, and providing a recovery mindset through new life opportunities.

Outdoor-based interventions, like adventure therapy, have numerous positive benefits, yet current literature is inconclusive on this topic regarding older adult participants. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore health outcomes for older adults engaging in outdoor-based interventions, including adventure therapy. A scoping review was conducted using 20 databases and specific journals, and a staged blinded review. The resulting data was synthesized into three groups that align with the components of successful aging: Prevention of disease/disability, retaining good physical/cognitive functioning, and active engagement. From these findings, implications for allied health professionals and experiential educators are discussed, and future research directions are recommended.

Various characteristics and circumstances lead older adults in the community to transition into long-term care homes (LTCHs). Family caregivers often provide support, resources, and encouragement to older adults during the transition into a LTCH. Therefore, this study aimed to explore family caregiver perceptions of older adults' sub-acute rehabilitation experiences that may associate with older adults' transitions into LTCHs. A descriptive survey resulted in understanding circumstances that led to older adults' transitions into the LTCH, and older adults with sub-acute rehabilitation experiences were positively associated with being more independently able to integrate into the LTCH. Future research directions and practical implications for healthcare professionals are further discussed.

Transitions into an assisted living home (ALH) are difficult and may impact the well-being of older adults. A thematic analysis guided by grounded theory was employed to better understand how a transition into an ALH influenced older adults' overall well-being. Individual, face-to-face interviews were conducted with a convenience sample of 14 participants at an ALH in the rural, southeastern U.S. Two central findings that influenced well-being during the transition process were revealed: loss of independence (sub-themes include loss of physical and mental health and loss of driving) and downsizing in space and possessions. The themes support and broaden the Hierarchical Leisure Constraints Theory, a Modified Constraints to Wellbeing model is proposed, and implications for older adult health care practitioners in ALHs are recommended. Further research is needed on the Modified Constraints to Wellbeing model and how to better describe these constraints to older adults' well-being when relocating into ALHs.

This paper details the development and factor structure of the Mueller Assessment of Transition (MAT), a novel assessment to measure older adults' wellbeing when transitioning into assisted living facilities (ALF). Older adult participants (n = 69) in nine ALFs in the United States completed the MAT. Exploratory factor analysis identified a 2-factor, 12-item solution of influences on older adults' wellbeing. Further results found significant differences in older adults' wellbeing when transitioning into ALFs before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Implications for healthcare practitioners and future research recommendations are discussed.

ObjectivesOlder adults' wellbeing during the transition into an assisted living facility (ALF) is not well understood and may influence their wellbeing. The Mueller Assessment of Transition (MAT) was created to measure the impact of transition on older adults' wellbeing. Early developmental testing of the MAT revealed a hypothesized model with two constructs (adjustment strategies and constraints to wellbeing). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to confirm the factor structure of the MAT with a representative sample of older adults transitioning into ALFs.MethodsIn a nationwide sample, 108 older adult participants completed the MAT to measure wellbeing when relocating into ALFs. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) assessed the structural validity of the MAT. Internal consistency was evaluated, and chi-square tests of association for regional differences in MAT scores were also conducted.ResultsThe CFA produced strong fit indices to confirm the hypothesized 2-factor (constraints to wellbeing and adjustment strategies) model of the MAT. Cronbach's alpha for the internal consistency was 0.784 and chi-square test indicated no significant regional differences.ConclusionThe MAT was established as a valid and reliable standardized assessment. Implications for using the MAT as a tool to measure older adults' wellbeing and future research are discussed.

Transitions into an assisted living facility (ALF) may have major impacts on the well-being of older adults, both positively and negatively. The purpose of this study was to explore strategies that older adults are implementing to maintain or improve their well-being during their transition into an ALF. A grounded theory, descriptive approach employed 14 individual, in-person interviews at an ALF in the rural, southeastern U.S. Eight central findings emerged as adjustment strategies used by older adults, catorgizied as active and passive strategies. The five active strategies were identified as importance of health promoting activities (subthemes: promoting physical health and promoting mental health), connections to the outside world (subthemes: community integration outings and community visitors), placing possessions, finding a new routine, and engaging in spiritual practices. Three passive strategies were identified: peer support, staff support, and prior familiarity with the ALF. Implications for recreational therapists working with older adults in ALFs are detailed and future research recommendations are provided.

Background: Yoga is an effective intervention to improve functional fitness in adults with and without disabilities, but little research exists regarding yoga's impact on functional fitness for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs). Aims: The purpose of this study was to examine the benefits of a group yoga intervention on the functional fitness of adults with IDDs. Methods and Materials: This yoga intervention included 12 sessions of yoga over 7 weeks (60-min sessions twice a week) at a special population recreation and leisure program. The functional fitness test was used to examine physical functioning before and after the yoga intervention. Results and Conclusions: Eight adults completed the baseline and posttest measures (age mean = 31; standard deviation = 6.55; 50% male). There were significant improvements in lower-body strength (9.00 ± 4.63 vs. 11.50 ± 3.16, P = 0.04, 28% improvement), upper-body strength (11.25 ± 3.54 vs. 14.25 ± 3.37, P = 0.018, 27% improvement), and agility and balance (9.29 ± 4.1 vs. 6.60 ± 1.54, P = 0.036, 29% improvement). Functional fitness often declines for people with IDD at a faster rate than the general population; thus, these significant changes indicate that a yoga intervention may enhance functional fitness for people with IDD. Clinicians or other healthcare providers might consider yoga as a means to improve functional fitness in adults with IDDs.