Wafaa Hamad Bin Sulaiman, Director of Welfare and Rehabilitation Department at the Ministry of Community Development, called on members of the community to be responsible towards the people concerned, respect their right to celebrate and participate in events and holidays like others, and ask the community members to be patient about any behavior that may seem disturbing in their eyes. , Such as loud voices, stereotyped movements or running, initiated by some children with autism and intellectual disabilities.
She also cautioned the need to support the families of people of concern, and to understand the situation they live, and to show sympathy with them, «there is no guilt for them in what appears from these behaviors».
Bin Sulaiman told Emirates Today that entertainment is used as a therapeutic means to fill the free time of people with determination, thus reducing their feelings of helplessness, lack of self-confidence, depression, and other negative feelings that negatively affect the development of their abilities, and hinder the success of therapeutic programs. Provided to them.
She added that recreational trips are an essential part of the rehabilitation programs offered to enhance and develop the cognitive, social and behavioral skills they receive, and to allow them to develop and apply them in natural environments.
Benslimane stressed that entertainment is a fixed right for people of determination, in accordance with Federal Law No. 29 of 2006, on the rights of people of determination and the national policy of empowering people of determination, which requires individuals, as well as those who provide events and recreational activities, to take into account the needs of the people concerned. To facilitate their use of recreational facilities without difficulty like others.
Turning to the definition of «entertainment therapy», she said that it is a set of activities, events and entertainment programs, which are prepared by specialists. It relies on the use of a variety of means, such as accompanying animals, listening to music, playing games, sports and various arts, including acting, drama, painting and coloring, to address physical, psychological, emotional, social and cognitive disorders in people with anxiety or chronic illness. "These activities aim to develop specific aspects for people with disabilities and people with certain diseases to help them cope with their difficulties, or to focus their attention on activities that fit their abilities."
She pointed to the advice of experts in the field of entertainment to carry out the activities of people who are interested in recreational activities that improve life functions, and reduce or reduce the impact of disability on them, provided that they meet their preferences and desires, such as the practice of arts and music, attend recreational activities and attend theater, cinemas, exhibitions, museums, and other recreational workshops .
She listed the benefits of direct entertainment on the body and behavior of people of determination, she said that it works to move the muscles and joints and deep breathing and stimulate blood circulation, so it results in a marked improvement.
She added that the recreational activity contributes to the balance between the physical, mental and spiritual needs of the people of concern, as many of them undergo physical therapy programs that require support from the entertainment side from time to time, to ensure balance and the success of treatment.
Recreational therapy also contributes to the development of cognitive skills, experiences and patterns, develops their talents and increases their chances of employing the abilities they possess in real life. It also helps them to move away from psychological pressures, because it is a source of emotional discharge of the pressures of life they are exposed to by the situations of life and negative experiences that may be exposed to them, making it a channel to re-transmit positive energy in them.
She said that the entertainment saves the people of boredom from boredom, boredom and restlessness, and other sensations resulting from the long stay in the house under the boring routine, which in turn may be passed on to the whole family, noting that «the entertainment of the people of determination reflected positively on the psychology and mood of all members of the family» .
She considered that entertainment is a means to help people who are motivated to social integration and get out into the real life, through the living of many social situations that give them opportunities to interact and communicate with the environment surrounding its physical and human elements, and their exit to life through recreational activities at the same time change the perception Society to them, and easy to accept as social and loving people.
• Entertainment is a therapeutic means to fill the free time when the owners of determination, and reduce the sense of helplessness and depression they have.