Abilis, which provides services to people with special needs and their families, is working with an online wellness company to study the fitness levels of 100 members of the Abilis community.
— an ad from Abilis
The study involves 100 members of the Abilis community, all with different abilities, who have free access to programs provided by the online company, HomeField.
By tracking metrics and capturing feedback during the study, Abilis and HomeField intend to demonstrate the effectiveness of HomeField programs and implement them throughout Connecticut.
Participants will be monitored and measured to assess improvements in range of motion, independence levels, overall mood, self-stimulatory behaviors, time spent on task, individual and caregiver confidence levels , weight loss and BMI calculations.
HomeField video on YouTube
Still from a HomeField video, “Ants in Your Pants”, featuring Coach Billy.
“Members of the Abilis community have been participating in HomeField programs for some time now, both in live classes and every day online,” said Amy Montimurro, CEO and President of Abilis.
“HomeField’s live classes are taped for listening and feature many of our Abilis members; it’s rewarding and fun to watch them being active and having fun as they perform in the fitness videos! said Montimurro.
HomeField offers a range of fitness classes and activities, all online and designed to be accessible to all ability and skill levels. Classes include general fitness, dance, yoga and martial arts, with new workouts every week.
“Everyone enjoys seeing themselves on the big screen and are aware that their dedication to fitness inspires others,” Montimurro said.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBIg5tznXFs
Over 200 on-demand virtual classes are available, each lasting 5-45 minutes. Participants will soon be able to earn rewards as they progress towards their goals.
“By participating in this specific study with HomeField, we are taking our commitment to optimal health and fitness even further by demonstrating and documenting the real and tangible benefits of these programs,” Montimurro said. “We are excited to see what the study reveals.”
HomeField’s platform aligns with state government health goals for special care providers and K-12 schools. HomeField courses are listed on the Abilis calendar of activities.
In addition to Abilis, Special Olympics Connecticut also uses HomeField.
“Our goal now is to reach as many people as possible and make health and wellness accessible to everyone,” said Daniel Caridi, co-founder of the program.
“We started this program by providing volunteer fitness classes for people with special needs,” he said. “When COVID hit, we recognized a great opportunity to go online. Classes quickly grew in size and popularity.
Abilis is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that supports more than 800 people with disabilities and their families in Fairfield County, from birth to old age.
Founded in 1951, Abilis provides community support in Fairfield County, Connecticut, in cities such as Darien, Greenwich, New Canaan, Norwalk, Stamford, Westport and Wilton.
HomeField aims to create fun and meaningful experiences that inspire inclusion and build trust. With trained coaches, live classes, and a community of like-minded partners, HomeField has an on-demand library with over 200 workouts available anywhere, anytime. From dance and martial arts to yoga and meditation, there’s a class for everyone. Daily live streams are also available with live lessons.