Diversional therapy is an old profession initially used by Red Cross nurses to help rehabilitate soldiers post war. It was found that soldiers recovered and coped better when they were mentally and physically occupied. Knitting and craft were the main forms of diversional therapy until the mid 1960's. http://diversionaltherapy.org.au/About-DRTA/History
The demand for improved quality of care has seen diversional therapy develop into a stand alone therapy but one that also blends well with other medical and allied health interventions.
A Diversional Therapist now requires tertiary education, experience and registration with Diversional & Recreation Therapy Australia in order to practice. They specialise in overcoming the barriers of age, disease, social situation etc. to ensure quality of life.
"Recreation's purpose is not to kill time, but to make life,
not to keep a person occupied, but to keep them refreshed;
not to offer an escape from life, but to provide a discovery of life."