Special Olympics is the largest public health organization for people in intellectual disabilities (ID). There is often a misconception that the poor health of people with ID is due to their disability. Research has shown that it is in fact a result of a breakdown in health education, health promotion, and health care. Special Olympics Arizona’s Health Programs works to address these problems to improve the health of our Athletes. SOAZ focuses on the basic health, wellness and education for persons with ID, as well as improving access to quality health care year around for Athletes in their own communities.
In 2016, Special Olympics Arizona received the Golisano Health Leadership Award and was recognized as a Healthy Community and joined a community with over 21,825 healthcare professionals and students to provide ongoing, community-based care for patients with intellectual disabilities. Healthy Communities is a model Special Olympics Health program made possible by the Golisano Foundation and addresses the severe health disparities faced by people with intellectual disabilities through immediate and long-term solutions.
PROVIDING HEALTH SCREENINGS AND EDUCATION
Special Olympics Arizona Healthy Athletes is dedicated to providing health screenings and education to our athletes while changing the way future health professionals interact with people with intellectual disabilities.
Healthy Athletes works to improve access to healthcare for Special Olympics Arizona’s athletes through the use of state-wide event-based screenings. Healthy Athletes events are used to assess the health needs of athletes and partners, make referrals to local health practitioners when appropriate, and train both healthcare professionals and students about the specific needs for treating people with intellectual disabilities (ID). Healthy Athletes also works to collect, analyze and disseminate data on the health state and needs for people with ID as well as advocating for improved health policies and programs for people with ID. During Healthy Athletes events, people with ID, Special Olympics Athletes, Unified Partners and Young Athletes (ages 2-8) receive a variety of health services in a fun and welcoming environment, at zero cost. Our impact on the health and well-being of SOAZ Athletes is great, in some cases saving lives by discovering unknown health issues or providing health care that otherwise would not be available.. Screenings are offered in eight different health disciplines.
HEALTH DISCIPLINES
Fit Feet: Special Olympics Fit Feet offers screenings to evaluate ankles, feet, lower extremity biomechanics, and proper shoe and sock gear to participating athletes. Fit Feet helps Special Olympics athletes step lively on the playing field, and in everyday life. Many athletes suffer from foot and ankle pain, or deformities that impair their performance.
In fact, up to 50 percent of Special Olympics athletes experience one or more preventable or treatable foot conditions that can affect their sports participation. Often, these individuals are not fitted with the best shoes and socks for their particular sport. During Fit Feet events, volunteer foot healthcare specialists work with athletes to evaluate problems of the feet, ankles and lower extremity biomechanics.
FUNFitness: FUNfitness is the physical therapy discipline of Special Olympics Healthy Athletes ® that addresses the ongoing health needs of Special Olympics (SO) athletes. FUNfitness provides athletes the opportunity to be screened for flexibility of hamstring, calf, shoulder rotator and hip flexor muscles; functional strength of the abdominal and lower extremity muscles; and balance. During these screenings physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, and physical therapist or physical therapist assistant students work with athletes and coaches to improve optimal function in sports training and competition, prevention of or reduced risk for injury and recommending exercises and other helpful strategies.
Health Promotion: Health Promotion, a discipline of Special Olympics Healthy Athletes, focuses on healthy living, healthy lifestyle choices, and nation-specific health issues. In addition to health education activities, health Promotion offers screenings for bone density, blood pressure, and body mass index (BMI). Its goals include encouraging and enhancing healthy behaviors and improving self-efficacy and self-advocacy.
Special Smiles: The Special Smiles discipline of Healthy Athletes provides comprehensive oral health care information, including offering free dental screenings and instructions on correct brushing and flossing techniques to participating Special Olympics athletes. This resource page is equipped with manuals and forms, event resources and Special Smiles stories and additional information. Special Smiles has demonstrated remarkable success in creating awareness and improving access to dental care for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.
Strong Minds: Strong Minds is an interactive learning activity focused on developing adaptive coping skills. Competition provides a natural opportunity to develop active strategies for maintaining emotional wellness under stress, such as: thinking positive thoughts, releasing stress and connecting with others.
MedFest: MedFest was created to offer the physical exam that all athletes need prior to participating in Special Olympics sports programming. It is sometimes the first exposure these athletes have to medical care. In many cases, life-threatening conditions have been found and subsequently treated thanks to MedFest. Led by volunteer physicians, nurses, physician assistants, and medical students, the MedFest screening consists of the following stations: medical history, height and weight, blood pressure, cardiology test, musculoskeletal test, orthopedic tests, abdominal evaluation, and a check out station.
Opening Eyes: The Special Olympics Lions Clubs International Opening Eyes program is changing lives in communities across the globe by providing comprehensive eye assessments, prescription eyewear, sunglasses and sports goggles to Special Olympics athletes and people with intellectual disabilities in general. After going through 12 testing stations, the exam information is reviewed and a decision is made if the athlete needs a new pair of prescription glasses or sport goggles.
Healthy Hearing: The Healthy Hearing discipline of Healthy Athletes provides comprehensive hearing screenings and follow-up recommendations. The main goals of this program are to inform athletes, parents, coaches or caregivers about the detection of possible ear and hearing problems, recommend follow-up as needed, and to promote the necessity of regular ear and hearing screenings.
Adopted from Special Olympics Minnesota’s SOfit program, SOAZ’s unified health education program, Healthy LEAP into Fitness (HLIF), allows Athletes and partners to experience increased physical activity, improved daily nutrition, heightened social engagement, and better emotional well-being.
The program is modeled to include health education, class activities, and supplemental resources. Designed to be taught in an eight week format, HLIF focuses on four pillars (chapters) of health: emotional, nutritional, physical, and social that each contain two to three lessons. Participating coaches are given a Coach’s Manual with complete health lessons and tools and every participant receives a Playbook where they are able to take notes, complete activities, and set personal goals.
In 2018, SOAZ piloted the HLIF curriculum in 5 Unified Champion High Schools and because of its great success, HLIF was adapted and piloted at the Young Athletes (preschool – 2nd grade) and Junior Champions (3rd – 8th grade) level in the fall of 2019. HLIF is now available statewide at all three levels: Young Athletes (preschool – 2nd grade), Junior Champions (3rd – 8th grade), and Game Changers (high school – community).
Interested in implementing Healthy LEAP into Fitness at your school, with your team, or in your community? Email gianna@specialolympicsarizona.org.
Healthy Leap Into Fitness General Resources
Physical Wellness: Physical wellness is much more than just exercise! Physical wellness is anything and everything having to do with our bodies. It is keeping our bodies clean, safe, and well rested. When we are exercising, it’s important that we explore a variety of movements. Variety helps us maintain interest. There is nothing worse than forcing ourselves to be active in ways we don’t enjoy.
Nutritional Wellness: Nutritional wellness is one of the most important parts of our health. The food and drinks we put into our bodies impact how we think, feel, and behave. It’s a challenge to eat and drink in a balanced way to get the nutrients our bodies need. We can meet these challenges if we understand how to define healthy eating and if we have access to a variety of healthy foods.
Nutritional Wellness Resources
Emotional Wellness: Emotional wellness has to do with our feelings, emotions, and mental changes. It also includes taking action to reach our goals, making healthy life choices, and taking responsibility for our actions. When we are emotionally and mentally well, we’re able to think more clearly and manage our stress in a healthy way.
Social Wellness: Social wellness comes from spending time in large or small groups and often means forming relationships with people in these groups. These relationships can take many forms, all of which have different meanings to us. Relationships are an important part of a person’s life. Having healthy relationships is important, not only for support and guidance, but also for fun and safety.
Unified Hiking
When you think of Arizona, you probably picture cacti, tumbleweeds, and 100+ degree weather. What you should picture is a multitude of wide-open spaces, dramatic landscapes, and hiking trails suitable for all skill levels! What’s great about hiking is that you can do it practically anywhere, with minimal gear and no cost. As part of the overall health and wellness movement, SOAZ launched the first ever Unified Hiking Program in the Summer of 2019! The goal of the program is the encourage Athletes to get outside and be more active outside of just the sports they play. The Program promotes education towards creating and continuing an overall healthy lifestyle. Every couple of months, Special Olympics Arizona will be releasing a new trail to get you outdoors and moving-all over the state! We will be hosting various hiking events throughout the state. Check back to see new trails!
Are you an avid hiker in Arizona? Tag us in your hiking photos @specialolympicsarizona #unifiedhiking
Interested in volunteering? Click here
Performance Stations
Performance Stations are events held at, or near, the field of play at tournaments/competitions or Games that are designed to educate and activate athletes and their supporters in the tenets of fitness: nutrition, hydration and physical activity. Be on the lookout for Performance Stations at local and state competitions!
Family Health Forums (FHF) are designed to engage families of those with ID with SOAZ and offer an environment where parents and caregivers can gain direct access to health information, resources and support. The objectives of the FHF are to provide families of SOAZ Athletes with direct access to community leaders, health care professionals and social service providers as well as introduce them to the programs that SOAZ has to offer for their Athletes and family.
More information coming soon!
The goal of the Health Leadership Committee (HLC) is to assure that Special Olympics Arizona continues to be progressive in the field of Health and Wellness, by offering high-quality programs throughout the state of Arizona and create long-term benefits for SOAZ athletes. The Health Leadership Committee oversees Special Olympics Arizona health programs and initiatives. Made up of over 40 health and medical professionals, the committee works with healthcare professionals and SOAZ staff to help develop a cooperative of resources for SOAZ athlete health care and operate on a “pro bono” basis.
The HLC is made of four focuses that collaborate to fulfill the goals of SOAZ Health Programs. The focuses include:
MEDICAL ADVISORY/SCREENING
- Aids Special Olympics Arizona creating a sustainable system to increase medical resources and enable access to follow-up care
- Collaborates on planning and discussing Healthy Athletes screening events
- Creates and maintains a system to increase medical resources to enable follow-up care
PUBLIC POLICY & RESOURCE
- Advises SOAZ on Public Policy and health-related topics that relate to aiding individuals with intellectual disabilities in accessing health care
- Collaborates on planning and discussing Healthy Athletes screening events
- Collaborates with partner healthcare plans on member services and monetizing Healthy Athletes services
FITNESS AND WELLNESS
- Focuses on the expansion of the Health Programs in gyms, training & exercise centers, and health clubs
- Advises SOAZ delegations on exercise programs and advanced unified training opportunities available for partners and athletes
- Creates and maintains partnerships with organizations looking to receive Unified Training Certification and implement Unified Sports® and wellness programming
Interested in joining the Health Leadership Committee? Email Gianna Zola at Gianna@SpecialOlympicsArizona.org
ATHLETE LEADERS IN HEALTH
- Advises the HLC Committee on personal experiences in healthcare and SOAZ Health Programs
- Plans and facilitates the Health Squad at competitions and events
- Collaborates with SOAZ and the HLC to promote athlete self- advocacy in health
- Promotes Health Programs and educates peers on healthy habits through overall fitness and wellness
Interested in joining the Health Leadership Committee? Email Gianna Zola at Gianna@SpecialOlympicsArizona.org
* Please note the Athlete Leaders in Health Committee is for SOAZ Athletes only
