Health and Wellness Program

Abilities offers a Health & Wellness program designed to educate and encourage healthy living for individuals with disabilities. We recognize that health and wellness are important in one’s daily life for the prevention of disease and the promotion of overall good health and well-being.

Our Registered Nurse created a core curriculum that staff use to plan and implement into daily program schedules.

Young man blowing bubbles at the Health and Wellness Program of Abilities of Northwest Jersey

Goals of the Health and Wellness Program

  • Educate, develop, promote, and reinforce independence of health and wellness activities.
  • Improve physical and/or mental health through active participation in group or individual activities that focus on health and wellness.
  • Foster a sense of accomplishment and confidence through activity completion, goal attainment, and/or positive physical changes.
  • Improve and promote overall health, circulation, cardiopulmonary function, muscle strength, coordination and balance, and a healthy weight.
  • Consistently make healthy choices with regards to food selection, activities, and other life choices.
  • Decrease, diminish, or prevent a disease process.
  • Promote positive self-direction with regards to one’s health and life choices.
Young man in the Abilities Health and Wellness program getting physical health instruction

Physical Health

A healthy physical body contributes to a healthy mind and a long life. Together we learn about germs and what we can do to remain well.

Covered topics include common illnesses, injuries, simple first aid, recognizing an emergency and what to do. Learning about why we may have to take medications is also important to maintaining or improving health.

Nutrition

Learning to choose the right foods is important in keeping our bodies healthy and helping to prevent disease. Together, participants learn to recognize healthy vs. unhealthy foods and how to pick healthy food items from a menu.

Cooking clubs cover topics such as nutrition, developing a healthy food menu, food preparation, and proper food storage.

Woman in the Abilities of Northwest Jersey Health and Wellness Program

Personal Hygiene

Proper personal hygiene is important for good health and reduces the risk of disease or medical conditions that arise due to bad hygiene habits.

Hygiene also influences first impressions and relationships with people in our lives. Areas of focus and instruction are provided both on an individual and group-setting basis.

Exercise

Weekly exercise programs incorporate equipment such as hand weights, resistance bands, under desk chair elliptical, educational activities, and games to accompany general health education.

Alternative or modified forms of exercise are offered to those with limited mobility, including professional resources for Tai Chi, Yoga, and seated Zumba classes. Outside activities such as a daily stroll with staff at the park or tending a community garden are some of the alternative exercise activities many enjoy.