Health Matters

This comprehensive curriculum provides the tools to set up and work through an exercise and nutrition education program for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.This innovative curriculum is an interactive program specifically designed for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (ID/DD). The schedule is flexible, consisting of 1-hour sessions (consider running 3 sessions each week) that encourage participants to understand their attitudes toward health, food and exercise; to gain skills and knowledge about healthy eating and exercising; to identify food and exercise preferences; to participate in food preparation and exercise activities; and to locate places in their community where they can exercise regularly.Strategies that are woven throughout this curriculum include making choices, self-determination, self-efficacy, self-advocacy, and rights and responsibility, along with problem-solving techniques and conflict resolution. Direct staff or health professionals can easily adapt the curriculum to meet the unique needs and capacities of individuals with ID/DD and their agencies, and there are specific guidelines for adapting the entire curriculum for use with people with more severe disabilities. The curriculum includes all necessary handouts, worksheets, and instructions for the program instructor in either the book or on the accompanying CD.