Name:
Location: Indiana, United States

I became a Professor Emeritus after serving 29 years as a recreational therapy faculty member at Indiana University. I'm a long-time Hoosier, having grown up in Hanover, Indiana. My RT practitioner work was in psych/mental health. After completing my Ph.D. at the University of Illinois, my first faculty position was at the University of North Texas. RT has been a wonderful profession for me as I have had the opportunity to serve as an author and national leader.

Wednesday, July 09, 2008

Physical Activity for Those with Intellectual Disabilities

Another article (see last post) in the July/August issue (Vol. 39, No.7, pp. 62, 63) of the Monitor on Psychology is related to RT. It is "Changing Expectations: Getting People with Intellectual Disabilities on the Playing Field Improves Their Health -- and Changes how others Perceive Their Abilities."

The article mentions research that shows people with intellectual disabilites are about 20% more likely to be overweight and 30% more likely to be obese than people in general. Other research is discussed that displays advantages of sports participation for those with intellectual disabilities, including gaining self-respect and respect from others. I'd be interested in hearing from any RTs who have seen the benefits of sports and physical activities for their clients who have intellectual disabilities.

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