Recreational opportunities for special-needs individuals are critical. Individuals with disabilities have unique challenges that may inhibit their ability to participate in traditional recreational activities, so providing additional, specialized opportunities for recreation may increase their self-esteem and physical health. Almost 60 percent of the agencies that provided data to PRORAGIS™ between 2011 and 2014 offer programs for people with disabilities, with more than 75 percent of these agencies indicating that programs for individuals with significant disabilities are part of their agency’s program offerings. 

While most people realize that those with special needs are likely to have physical barriers to participation in recreation activities, we should realize that psychological barriers are equally significant in limiting participation in recreational activities. These barriers to participation may include: lack of knowledge of the activity, social ineffectiveness, emotional dependency, and/or skill or challenge gaps. Special-needs programs should facilitate the opportunity for individuals to participate in recreational activities by addressing such emotional challenges. Making these emotional barriers easier to surmount can make an agency’s programming for those with special needs even more effective.

Individuals with special needs may need recreational activities to help improve their health even more than individuals without a disability. Recent studies from the Centers for Disease Control have found that in the United States, obesity rates among disabled adults are approximately 58 percent higher than adults without disabilities, while obesity rates among children with disabilities are 38 percent above those of children without disabilities. With the increased risk of obesity among those with disabilities, they are subsequently also at higher risk for a number of health problems, including heart disease, Type II diabetes, high blood pressure and cancer. Furthermore, individuals with disabilities are more likely to be inactive and have sedentary lifestyles.

What does this all mean? It means that once again, park and recreation agencies are providing critical services to their communities. If your agency isn’t currently offering inclusive programs or programs targeted toward those citizens with special needs, it might be time to think about how you can serve this important part of your jurisdiction.

David Kurtz is NRPA’s Research Specialist. Travis Smith, Ph.D., is NRPA’s Vice President of Research.