Activity Personnel as Professional Helpers.

The basic skills frequently associated with the helping professions are described as they are related to activity personnel. A model for systematic helping is presented which focuses on four stages: Listening; Responding; Exploring and Understanding; and Acting. The purpose of the discussion is to demonstrate to activity personnel the importance and the role of helping skills in their profession. Helping skills are needed if activity personnel are to facilitate independence, self reliance, and self-fulfillment on the pan of the older adults through their participation in activities. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]