Parkinsons Exercise And Wellness Center

OUR MISSION IS TO PROVIDE EXERCISE FOR A STRONGER BODY, EDUCATION AND RESOURCES FOR A STRONGER MIND, COMARADERIE AND SUPPORTY FOR A STRONGER SPIRIT FOR THOSE DIAGNOSED WITH PARKINSON'S DISEASE AND OTHER MOVEMENT DISORDERS AND THEIR CARE PARTNERS.

RECENT STUDIES SUGGEST THAT EXERCISE IS A PHYSIOLOGICAL TOOL THAT GUIDES BRAIN HEALTH, PROTECTION, REPAIR AND ADAPTATION AFTER NEURODEGENERATION OCCURS. EXERCISE TRIGGERS THE PLASTICITY, THUS POTENTIALLY SLOWING THE PROGRESSION OF PAKINSON'S DISEASE (PD). THE CERTIFIED AND EXPERIENCED COACHING STAFF UTILIZES ROCK STEADY BOXING, PWR!MOVES, THEATRICAL EXPRESSION, DANCE AND RHYTHM THERAPY, YOGA, AND MAT PILATES FOR PEOPLE WITH PD AND OTHER MOVEMENT DISORDERS AS A COMPLEMENTARY THERAPY TO TRADITIONAL MEDICINE. PWR!MOVES (PARKINSON WELLNESS RECOVERY), A PARKINSON'S DISEASE-SPECIFIC TRAINING PROGRAM MAINTAINS OR RESTORES DETERIORATION AND INTERFERENCE WITH BIG MOVEMENTS THROUGH SPORTS, FITNESS AND MORE TRADITIONAL GYM ACTIVITIES. PARKINSON'S: THE ART OF EXPRESSION (PARTETM) CLASSES TARGET THE MOTOR AND NON-MOTOR SYMPTOMS OF PARKINSON'S DISEASE, ACCESSSES THE CREATIVE CENTERS OF THE BRAIN, REWIRES THE NEUROPATHWAYS, DECREASES ANXIETY, ENCOURAGES SOCIALIZATION, IMPROVES MOOD & SELF-CONFIDENCE AND PROMOTES GREATER MOBILITY & BODY CONTROL. THE PEWC PROVIDES SERVICES TO ANYONE WHO HAD PARKINSON'S DISEASE NO MATTER THEIR ABILITY TO PAY. OUR COMMUNITY IMPACT HAS INCREASED IN 2022. AS PARTINSON'S HAS SURPASSED ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE AS THE MOST DIAGNOSED NEUROLOGICAL DISEASE IN THE UNITED STATES AND AS THE PREDICTED NUMBER OF DIAGNOSIS REACHES 90,000, WE HAVE RESPONDED BY ADDING PROGRAMS, CLASSES, SOCIAL AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND STUDENT INVOLVEMENT. IN 2022, OUR PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS ARE AS FOLLOWS:WE INCREASED OUR PROGRAMS FROM 7-9 FROM 2021. WE INCREASED IN PERSON CLASSES FROM 20 TO 38 CLASSES IN PERSON. WE ALSO OFFER 7 CLASSES ONLINE THROUGH ZOOM WEEKLY.WE INCREASED OUR MEMBERSHIP BASE FROM 110 TO 160 INDIVIDUALS- ADDING OVER 60 NEW FIGHTERS TO THE PROGRAM.WE SUBSIDIZED OVER $58,000 IN MEMBERSHIPS AND PARTICIPATION FEES ALLOWING INDIVIDUALS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM- NO MATTER THEIR ABILITY TO PAY.WE HOSTED 11 IN PERSON SOCIAL EVENTS, 10 EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE MEETINGS, 5 COMMUNITY OUTREACH EVENTSWE HOSTED OVER 15 STUDENTS IN VARIOUS THERAPY PROGRAMS INCLUDING TWO DOCTORAL CAPSTONE STUDENTS IN THE OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY (OT) PROGRAM FROM THE COLLEGE OF ST MARYS, FOUR LEVEL 1 STUDENTS AND TWO LEVEL 2 STUDENTS FROM THE OT PROGRAM AT KANSAS UNIVERSITY. WE WERE PART OF STUDENT LEARNING FOR ROCKHURST UNIVERSITY OT, KUMC MUSIC THERAPY, AND NUMEROUS OTHER VOLUNTEER STUDENTS FROM OTHER PROGRAMS.ALL FOUR PEWC COACHES RENEWED THEIR CERTIFICATIONS IN ROCK STEADY BOXING AND PWR MOVES, TWO OF OUR PARKINSONS SPECIFIC EXERCISE FORMATSAT THE 2022 COACHES CONFERENCE FOR ROCK STEADY BOXING IN DENVER, CO, ALL OF THE COACHES WERE PRESENTERS FOR AREAS IN PROGRAM DESIGN AND PARTE. DAVID CURRY, TREASURER OF THE BOARD, PRESENTED ON THE BENEFITS OF BECOMING A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION. WE REACHED OVER 80 COACHES FROM AROUND THE UNITED STATES WITH INFORMATION ABOUT HOW WE SERVE THE PARKINSONS COMMUNITY THROUGH OUR PROGRAM.WE CONSULTED 3 ORGANIZATIONS IN WICHITA, KS, BERKELEY, MI AND HUNTSVILLE, AL ON HOW TO EFFECTIVELY DEVELOP A PROGRAM LIKE OURS TO SERVE THEIR COMMUNITY. THEY HAVE SINCE SUCCESSFULLY STARTED THEIR OWN ORGANIZATIONS AND OFFER A COMMUNITY BASED EXERCISE PROGRAM IN THEIR AREA.

THE PARKINSON'S EXERCISE AND WELLNESS CENTER'S MISSION IS TO PROVIDE THE HEALING HANDS THAT EVERY CAREGIVER NEEDS TO BE "FIT2CARETM". IT IS A UNIQUE FITNESS AND THERAPY-BASED PROGRAM CREATED SPECIFICALLY FOR CAREGIVERS OF PEOPLE LIVING WITH PARKINSON'S DISEASE AND PARKINSON'S PLUS. DESIGNED TO BUILD MENTALLY, EMOTIONALLY AND PHYSICIALLY STRONG CAREGIVERS WHO CAN CONFIDENTLY PERFORM THE DEMANDING TASKS OF CARING FOR THEIR LOVED ONES, FIT2CARE IS OPEN TO ALL FAMILY MEMBERS OF SOMEONE DIAGNOSED WITH PARKINSON'S DISEASE OR PARKINSON'S PLUS. IN ADDITION, SOME OF THE FOLKS HAVE CREATED A GROUP CALLED PD PARTNERS THAT MEET THE FIRST FRIDAY OF THE MONTH FOR COFFEE AND CAMARADERIE. WE HAVE CONTINUED TO SEEK CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR COACHES AND STAFF TO MAINTAIN THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF TRAINING FOR PARKINSON'S SPECIFIC EXERCISE. ADDITIONALLY, WE HAVE OPENED OUR PROGRAM FOR MORE STUDENTS INTEREST IN LEARNING ABOUT NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS LIKE PD. OUR COMMUNITY BASED EXERCISE PROGRAMS ALLOW A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE FOR STUDENTS TO INTERACT WITH HEALTHY, ACTIVE AND CAPABLE CLIENTS WITH PD. THE STUDENT FEEDBACK HAS BEEN HIGHLY POSITIVE AND DEMONSTRATES AN INCREASED DESIRE TO SERVE PEIPLE WITH PD IN THEIR FUTURE MEDICAL PRACTICE.