Program Corner - More Than Just Another Wellness Program

Nearly 1 million Americans - about 64,000 of them in Florida - are living with Parkinson's disease, a degenerative movement disorder that can cause deterioration of motor skills, balance, speech, and sensory function.

The fight against Parkinson's disease is about more than just balance and function. Connection and independence to do the things you love matter, because every patient is a whole person. When stepping into one Friday's class time the participants and instructor greeted each other by name, and shared updates on what they were doing in their day-to-day lives. Even the music used during the class meant something deeper, with favorite songs included in the playlist for the hour.

Three days a week, every week, all year long you'll find important work going on in the classrooms at the Bear Levin Studer YMCA. It can be a challenge that asks class members to give it all they've got, but the benefits are clear. So are the smiles the participants share. Every person who comes into the class can find the things that move them, and keeps them moving.

This is more than just another wellness program - each class in our program is designed specifically for Parkinson’s patients. Our program is built around rigorous exercise that emphasizes gross motor movement, balance, core strength, and rhythm. Research has shown that this type of exercise can positively effect range of motion, flexibility, posture, gait, and functional fitness for Parkinson's patients.

Top it all off with a monthly support group, and you'll have a pretty good picture of just what makes this opportunity so special to the participants and our team who help us offer it. This is where knowledge, emerging research, and patients’ lived experience shape a program tailored for real results and quality of life.