Wellness Program and learned about nutrition and healthier eating habits. At the same time, he chose to become much more physically active through walking clubs, volunteer work, and community activities. He also took part in cooking classes to learn how to make healthier meals at home.

Mark has been able to meet his personal wellness goals to be more active and to eat better and has lost over 250 pounds! His remarkable work in making healthier choices has affected his entire life in many positive ways. Mark is observed to present himself with far greater self-confidence in social situations. His ability to be more mobile and feel better about himself has truly changed him. He continues to stay active and engage in a healthier lifestyle through a combination of all of these supports provided by his entire team at The Arc Lexington. Mark’s wellness story also inspired and led one of his support staff members to lose 50 pounds.

Callyn Groff is a young man who participates in day habilitation programming at The Arc Lexington. The COVID-19 pandemic was hard on everyone, but Callyn found it especially challenging when his day program at The Arc Lexington was shut down for everyone’s safety. When restrictions lifted and Callyn returned to his program, he was determined to work on his new wellness goal, which was to stay physically active throughout his day, as well as to be more active in the planning of what he did throughout the day. Prior to the pandemic, Callyn’s physical activity consisted of some basketball drills and playing baseball, but only a couple of times per week. At that time, he spent a lot of quiet time indoors on his iPad, and preferred wearing headphones while doing so. When he was able to return to his program, he found he had a new staff member, Pete Giblin. Pete, who

is trained in the Engaged and Empowered techniques, started encouraging Callyn to go for short walks on a local bike path. Their walks became longer, and they soon started discovering many of the other recreational trails and paths in the community, and then in the Adirondacks close to where The Arc Lexington is located. These walks and hikes improved Callyn’s health, while also developing in him a love of the outdoors. His team observed that these walks and hikes helped Callyn to feel better about himself and to be less stressed. In fact, Callyn came to enjoy hiking and walking so much that he started Club 72 to encourage people to hike the 72 local trails. He is the President of this new Club that has 15 members, so far. The Club presents awards as members complete hikes on specific numbers of trails, and encourages club members to take photos to document and share with other walkers and hikers. Winter has slowed down the club a bit, but Callyn and his group are really looking forward to spring when they can add even more trails to their travels.

Callyn’s life has changed in such a positive way, and it shows. In fact, the positives that he has found on his wellness journey can be summed up in a letter The Arc Lexington received from his mother. “There aren’t enough Thank Yous on the planet….I can’t say enough about Pete and how he treats my boy. He is patient and flexible and respectful beyond words. This new life for Callyn is a game changer and I am so excited for his future!”

ADDITION BY SUBTRACTION: Mark Riley's ability to be more mobile and feel better about himself has truly changed him.

These are just a select few of the dozens of health and wellness success stories that people with developmental disabilities have found through the Engaged and Empowered health and wellness program at The Arc Lexington. The organization has learned through this program that for people with I/DD, participation in simple health and wellness changes can have a dramatic impact on many other areas of a person's life. •

Footnote: The University of Illinois HealthMatters™ Program curriculum is available in two books that can be purchased on Amazon for people who may want to reference and use this research-based, fieldtested program. The books are entitled Health Matters for People with Developmental Disabilities: Creating a Sustainable Health Promotion Program by Beth Marks, RN, Ph.D., Jasmina Sisirak, M.P.H., Tamar Heller, Ph.D. and Beverly McElmurry and Health Matters: The Exercise and Nutrition Health Education Curriculum for People with Developmental Disabilities, written by Beth Marks, RN, Ph.D., Jasmina Sisiraak, M.P.H. and Tamar Heller, Ph.D.

ABOUT THE ARC LEXINGTON

The Arc Lexington, a not-for-profit, award-winning provider of supports to people with I/DD in Fulton, Schoharie and Albany Counties of New York State. A chapter of The Arc New York, The Arc Lexington employs 1,600 people who support 1,300 children and adults who have disabilities including autism, mental illness, cerebral palsy, physical disabilities, epilepsy and traumatic brain injury. Visit thearclexington.org