Special Olympics creates a welcoming space
to provide health education for families
of those with intellectual disabilities
through Family Health Forums.
Family Health Forums are designed to offer an environment
where parents and caregivers can gain direct access
to health information, resources, and support.
Family Health Forums are fantastic,
one-day, weekend series of events
with the goal of providing health education
to our athletes, our families, and our coaches.
The whole idea is to provide education
but also to provide resources,
people in their community that they can connect with
if they want to learn more, if they want to take action,
different opportunities to maybe try foods
that they haven't been exposed to before
or coupons to their local grocery store
where they're able to then purchase healthier foods.
We got introduced to the Healthy Forums.
They had somebody talking on nutritional eating.
I learned cooking skills
and also learned the fact by reading labels.
I think it's really important
that they just continue to have these kind of Health Forums.
I think the trend is that these young people
want to be healthy
and that they want to be independent.
I attended a workshop on intellectual disability
from which I learned
about different myths regarding intellectual disabilities.
And I learned home-based management tips for myself
and for my children and for my family.
I learned a lot about the Family Health Program
for Special Olympics
because the support that they give to families
with the health programs,
with social services as well,
and with nutrition
and also with the development of the child.
We also take the kids for development
and for eye testing, dentistry services as well.
So, it is very much helpful.
I remember them saying that it's important
about eating fruit and eating your vegetables
and make sure that you end up drinking a lot of water.
We talk about stress.
And how to handle it
and how to talk about it.
And we also learned
that just doing some exercise every day really helps.
So, we try to walk or go to the gym.
The Special Olympics Health Forum helped me a lot
about physical and mental
and other information and guidance.
That helped me a lot about how to handle my son
and even by myself.
Not only Josh but the rest of the athletes
that I had the opportunity to coach as well,
they would text me or send me pictures
of something that they're eating
compared to what they shouldn't be eating.
So it definitely,
the forum definitely hit their long-term memory
and it made an impact on them.
Not pushing them but to just kinda giving them the idea
that there is a smarter way
or a better way to follow this
so you have longevity with your life and your body.
Family Health Forums, the content is very important,
but the connection is equally as important.
So, seeing other families that, you know,
might have similar struggles or similar successes
in their health and wellness journey with their child,
being able to throw around ideas,
create a space for discussion,
and offer really a whole day devoted
to the importance of health and well-being,
especially in our disability community.