HDI means a lot to me. When I graduated school in 2014 I didn’t know what I would do with my days, so having a job keeps me involved. I like the people I work with, and I like making my own money.
—Morgan Turner, HDI Health and Wellness Education Assistant
Individuals with disabilities experience many barriers that prevent them from living the healthiest lifestyle possible. Ability to participate in regular physical activity is a common barrier that individuals with disabilities face due to lack of guidance and inaccessible equipment. Inability to engage in regular physical activity puts individuals at a higher risk of developing chronic conditions such as heart disease and stroke. One of HDI’s grant funded efforts, Project CHEER, has made it one of their missions to eliminate as many barriers to physical activity as possible for all individuals. Throughout the past year, Project CHEER has been working to create a series of adaptive exercise videos which provide instruction on physical activity that everyone, regardless of knowledge or ability level, can participate in. Continue reading
We’re excited to share that HDI will be devoting a Fund for Excellence grant this spring to research focused on “A School-Based Physical Activity Intervention for Children with and without ADHD Symptomology” led by Megan Jaspersen, Dr. Alicia Fedewa, Dr. Heather Erwin, and Morgan Turner. Continue reading
The HDI Health and Wellness Initiative has been highlighted in a number of spotlights over the past few months, including Stephen Love’s impressive accomplishments through the HealthMatters program at Tri-Generations in Somerset; a collaboration between Health Partners and Fayette County Public School System to teach students about exercise and healthy eating; and an Impact article on community based organization programming to build healthy cultures for people with disabilities.