New Healthy Employment Programs for Developmentally Disabled

Another reader has Fixed the Fitness for a community program so beneficial and potentially far-reaching that I have given her an Academy Appointment.

Peggy Santamaria is bringing my healthy daily life techniques to developmentally disabled adults. She has made a new program to transition developmental disability to Developmental Ability.

After her success story appeared - Shoveling Snow - Reader Wins Mother Nature's Fitness Challenge with Fitness Fixer, Peggy wrote:

"Thanks. Cool to find that this morning on Fitness Fixer. I would like to work with job coaches at a local agency that trains and finds employment for developmentally disabled adults. Snow removal is one of their big programs. I hope I would have your permission to use Fitness Fixer techniques to help prevent injuries for these trainees. I am on the board of directors for the agency and really support the program.
Thanks again.
you rock!!!"
peggy

I wrote back asking if she could start before the snow season ends, which was soon, and that when the snow season ends, what activities and healthy movement retraining could she bring to them?

Peggy replied:

"Just spoke with program director at Appalachian Crossroads. I will meet with his job coaches and staff on Monday afternoon to talk about healthier movements while on the job shoveling snow, landscaping, vacuuming, etc. This is their website if you want to check them out, www.appalachiancrossroads.com/"

I am pleased to announce her appointment through the Academy of Functional Exercise Medicine (AFEM) as Director of Developmental Ability. We are working on better names - write in your ideas in the comments for a good title for this program for the disabled to develop their abilities. Peggy has been working hard developing the program. She drew the shovels for me for the Backman!™ illustration, and has been drawing and developing more teaching tools.

Our plan is for participants to gain skills and healthy work, reduce injury and pain risk, and be proud role models. The community gains important improvements in ways that are healthy for all. We hope our program with Appalachian Crossroads becomes a model for programs all over the nation like it.

Peggy wrote back:

"WOW!!! That's all I can say. Off to teach a class. I have read a gazillion of your fitness fixers (they are like peanuts, you know). I just don't get any housework done. But I will be well-armed to begin this task.

"My daughters and grandchildren are very proud. (They) said it was "awesome" and "Go Grandma Peggy!""

Related:

• Peggy first appeared in Shoveling Snow - Reader Wins Mother Nature's Fitness Challenge with Fitness Fixer
• Stuart Wood is my Community Programs guy for healthier Watershed, Youth, and Elder exercise programs - StuartShip - How To Start Healthy Movement Programs
• Here is how Stuart started - Reader Gains Academy Appointment for Making Community Projects Healthy,
  
• and continues with Natural Hard Exercise - Stuart's Community Health Stewardship Continues
• Join The Fun - Join in this work, and do the same for your own local world. Send in your own ideas and stories. See my Academy page - www.DrBookspan.com/Academy.
  

Semi-Related Fitness Fixer:

• Want Weightlifting? Plant A Food Garden

Random Unrelated Fitness Fixer:

• Secret To Get Better and Fitter

Labels: disability/ability, fix pain, International Academy of Functional Sports Medicine, mind, readers inspiring story, shoveling/digging, spirit

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