This can be group or individual Theraplay within a retirement or care home setting.

 

Theraplay, originally designed for children, can be adapted for use with people of all ages.

 

It can be particularly helpful in addressing loneliness, cognitive decline, physical limitations, and general emotional well being.

 

Extract from Theraplay 3rd Edition by Phyllis Booth & Ann Jernberg, 2010, p516-518

Theraplay in Practice

Group Theraplay in a Nursing Home

One of the primary problems for residents in nursing homes is the lack of nurturing touch. What little touch they get is purely functional: being helped from bed to wheelchair, being dressed, and being fed. Staff members are under pressure to serve a large number of residents and have very little time with any one resident. Personal nurturing touch from a staff member is rare. It is no surprise that many residents receive far less nurturing touch than they did in their own homes.
Being deprived of nurturing touch is one of many factors that contribute to the widespread depression among nursing home residents. In order to try to change this bleak picture and to provide some fun, Group Theraplay was introduced two to three times per week during the regularly scheduled activity time in a nursing home in Arkansas. Attendance was voluntary. The group met eight times and usually had between six to ten residents. The majority of the participants were women in their late seventies and eighties. Roughly half the group was seated in wheelchairs, and the rest were able to sit in regular chairs. The leader was assisted by the activity director who had no experience in Theraplay but was content to take the cues from the leader.
The groups centered on nurturing activities, such as putting lotion on one another, singing, and feeding each other. The group also participated in mildly challenging activities, such as bouncing a balloon around the group, popping bubbles, or passing a small beanbag to one another. For engagement, the leader walked around the room to various residents and played Peek-a-Boo, or sang the "Twinkle" song. Activities with more challenge were not used because most of the engaging and structuring activities were challenging enough for these elderly people.
The response of the participants in these groups was markedly positive. Sessions were filled with smiles and happy laughter, and many of the participants said how much they were enjoying themselves. Two participants cried when lotion was put on their hands. When asked to talk about the feelings behind the tears, they said how good the lotion felt and how nice it was to interact with their fellow residents in a fun, positive way. Staff reported that residents who attended the group seemed happier in their interactions outside of group.
As staff began to hear about the group, many would stop by to observe. The leader then involved them in the group activities, thereby strengthening their bond with the residents.

There are inherent difficulties for the therapist in conducting Theraplay groups for the elderly. Many participants were confined to wheelchairs. This limited mobility and reduced the number and kind of activities that could be used.
Because of this, more activities were repeated than would be the case in Group Theraplay with children. Some participants suffered from diminished cognitive capacity. Activities had to be kept simple, explained clearly, and demonstrated and practiced a number of times before residents could participate well. Fatigue was also a factor; groups could not last longer than thirty minutes. Because of these issues, the groups required a very high level of therapist energy and engagement.
The many signs of increased energy and good spirits in the participants made it well worth the effort.