Family Health & Fitness Program
Good physical and mental health is essential to all families; kinship families frequently face various health challenges. Relative caregivers are more likely to be older and often face physical and mental health issues. Kinship caregivers may need a great deal of emotional support since they may experience stress surrounding the unexpected and often long term care of their relative children. Likewise, the children in kinship care often have special needs, medically and emotionally. The Rose House Kinship Association Center provides a variety of services and programs to meet the physical and emotional needs kinship children and their caregivers.As with any parent or caregiver, their mental and emotional functioning is an important element of providing continued, high quality care. The Rose House Kinship Association provides training throughout San Diego County to relative caregivers, addressing: family mental health, nutrition, stress management, and the special needs of kinship children. At the Rose House Kinship Center, the trainings are enhanced by a variety of counseling services. The Rose House is aware of the financial hardships facing most kinship families and does not charge for these services.
Relative caregivers often feel physically and mentally overwhelmed, and this can lead to depression, anxiety or poor physical health. Relative caregivers frequently experience difficulties accessing counseling services. The Rose House offers relative caregivers individual counseling, support groups and hypnotherapy to address behaviors such as smoking or overeating. These services are free to the caregivers.
Children in kinship care may also need help with trauma, educational, or behavioral problems. These issues result from their new living situation, separation from the birth parents, and prior abuse or neglect. The Rose House Kinship Center provides children both with individual counseling and support groups. The Rose House works with dedicated counselors, who have expertise in working with youth exposed to trauma. The counselors donate their services to the center.
A special project recently added to the Center's activities is an adult swim program. The Rose House has a pool, and on a weekly basis caregivers meet to swim, participate in water aerobics and just have fun. The ability to access recreational activities enhances the caregivers' physical and mental health. It allows them to rejuvenate, so they can access the energy needed to raise young children. Splashing around and playing in the pool, is also a favorite activity for the children during their recreation time at the Rose House.