by Kayte Barton
People with intellectual disabilities make up 1-3% of the overall population, but their unmet healthcare needs significantly escalate health care costs.
Special Olympics Minnesota is working to reduce disparities in healthcare with its inclusive health programs. The programs help to make sure that healthcare is accessible to everyone and equip providers with information to deal effectively with patients who have intellectual disabilities in their clinics.
Special Olympics Minnesota’s health programs began in 2000, with three of the now eight health disciplines that are offered. These screenings are free to athletes to help ensure that they are healthy and fit, not only for competitions, but for everyday life. They also provide opportunities for medical professionals and medical students to have the chance to interact with people with intellectual disabilities.
I had the privilege to sit down with Special Olympics Minnesota’s health staff—Jeff Prendergast, Lindsey Swanson and Jack Dobbs—to get their perspectives on the importance of inclusive healthcare.
Health Programs staff members
Jeff Prendergast
Jeff oversees the recruitment and training of clinical directors and day-of event volunteers for all of Special Olympics Minnesota’s Health Programs.
Before joining Special Olympics Minnesota, Jeff had no experience with the nonprofit and was introduced by a former Special Olympics Minnesota staff member. “It kind of blew my mind that there was so much more that Special Olympics offered beyond sports,” says Jeff.
Jeff said that he believes Special Olympics’ health programs have a major impact in athletes’ lives, and he enjoys working with athletes and their families. He loves to see the passion that athletes have for their own health and the health of others.
Lindsey Swanson
Lindsey oversees the Young Athletes health program. Before joining Special Olympics Minnesota as staff, Lindsey was a coach for one of Special Olympics Minnesota’s delegations. As a basketball coach, she made sure that athletes were fit and physically ready for competition. She was the personal trainer of the team.
“Being a coach was a really cool introduction to Special Olympics, and now I still get to see the delegation that I coached, just in a different way!” said Lindsey.
Lindsey said that her favorite thing about her job is to see athletes take initiative about improving their own health.
“I want our athletes to be in a situation where they feel confident about performing their sport and really help them focus on their quality of life,” said Lindsey. “As an organization, we are trying to make the world a more inclusive place for people with intellectual disabilities. That includes healthcare, just as much as sports.”
Jack Dobbs
Jack is new to Special Olympics Health Programs and will oversee the fitness side, including SOFit and Fit5.
Fit5 is a program designed to help with activity, nutrition and hydration. SOFit is a Unified fitness program that is designed to focus on four pillars of overall health: emotional, physical, social and nutrition.
Jack knew that Special Olympics offered more than sports, but he didn’t realize the depth of the other programs until he started working for the organization.
Jack moved to Minnesota six years ago from Wales, where he was licensed as an occupational therapist. After moving to the United States, Jack became a DAPE teacher (Developmental Adaptive Physical Education). “My passion for working in the health field made me excited to apply to work for Special Olympics Minnesota,” said Jack.
Jack believes that having more athletes engaged in SOFit and other health programs will help athletes lead healthier lives. He also believes training and understanding, along with adaptive equipment that is accessible to everyone, is the key to making fitness more inclusive for people with intellectual disabilities.
Inclusive healthcare training
After realizing that there is very little or no curriculum focused on people with disabilities in schools, Jeff launched inclusive healthcare training aimed at providing basic understanding of the health disparities that people with disabilities often face. The training provides practical tools and strategies that health professionals can implement to ensure that they are as inclusive as possible.
Jeff has had a fantastic response to these training sessions. The students have been engaged and really want to learn and understand what they can do as professionals. Many of the students that attend these trainings have signed up to volunteer at Special Olympics Minnesota events, and some schools have even built the training into their curriculum.
Jeff believes that these students are changing the way people with intellectual disabilities are being cared for and are building awareness for the need for inclusion in the health settings. They will be better prepared to communicate with their patients who have intellectual disabilities.
Changing the game
As a leader in inclusive healthcare, Special Olympics Minnesota is changing the game for people with intellectual disabilities. Everyone deserves to have access to the best healthcare they can get, and Special Olympics Minnesota’s health programs are helping athletes live longer, healthier and more vibrant lives (like mine!).
Are you a healthcare professional? Do you want to learn more about inclusive healthcare? Get involved with Special Olympics Minnesota! We are always looking for healthcare professionals to volunteer.
Contact
Jeff Prendergast at [email protected]
Jack Dobbs at [email protected]
Resources and more information
Special Olympics International: Making the Case: Health Care Providers (PDF)
CDC Disability and Health Data Systems
NIH National Health Advisory Council study
Center for Inclusive Health
Resources not just for health care professionals. A great tool to help you become an advocate for athletes and inclusive health care!
