Our September 29th “Living Well with Parkinson’s” symposium was attended by 150 people, over 20 supporting information vendors, and highlighted by four great guest speakers!
(left to right: Dr. Terry Ellis, Director, BU Center for Neurorehabilitation – Linda Nikolakopoulos, Registered Dietician and Licensed Nutritionist – Pamela Quinn, PD Dance & Coach, PD Movement Lab, New York – Dr. Albert Hung, Movement Specialist, MA General Hospital)
The printed word cannot possibly portray what became a visible energy field sparking the space provided at the Danvers Community YMCA! Included in the 4-hour program were 2 short but dynamic movement and exercise “samplers” led by Parkinson Fitness Balance and Movement instructor, Dianna Daly, and Strength, Conditioning, Boxing instructor, Kim Crowley. As they do in all their weekly classes, both women had participants willingly joining in “waking up” their bodies and minds in five minutes or less!
Drs. Hung and Ellis emphasized how to optimize time allotted during office visits and physical therapy appointments, as well as the importance of exercise in helping to maintain control over difficult body and cognitive challenges. Linda Nikolakopoulos provided insights into the role diet and nutrition play in remaining healthy and staying strong. Pamela Quinn, diagnosed with PD over 20 years ago, travelled from her own PD Movement Lab in New York (https://pdmovementlab.com/about) to demonstrate strategies for moving and living in “real-life” scenarios. Pam’s vocal exercises to strengthen communication, augmented by hand and arm movements, were a high point for everyone!
Special thanks to everyone involved in making this event an incredible opportunity for learning and participating, with special shout-outs to Lucas Michaud, our photographer from Endicott College in Beverly, to Linda Hall’s friends Sandra Moores and Mary Orne for their assistance with credit card payments, to Suzanne Malach, YMCA liaison, the vendors who supported us financially and provided valuable community information, to the team of Parkinson’s Fitness volunteers who assisted as greeters, registrars, and table helpers…and to Linda Hall, whose tireless efforts built yet another opportunity for motivating people on the North Shore to live well, in spite of their Parkinson’s diagnosis!
For many people with a funky sense of humor, they may substitute the first word in the title of this blog entry as “yogurt”, because they tend to shy away from accepting that alternative ways of managing their Parkinson’s symptoms (such as practicing Yoga) can successfully augment taking regular medications. Read on…
An opening statement in the February/March 2017 issue of Brain & Life magazine speaks to the importance of trying new approaches in one’s fight against Parkinson’s: “For people with Parkinson’s disease, yoga has been shown to increase flexibility and posture, ease stiffness, and possibly improve balance”, says Roy Alcalay, MD, assistant professor at Columbia University and medical adviser with the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation.
Before starting any exercise program, including yoga, clear it with your doctor. While you consider the positives associated with practicing Yoga, read this article to learn why Parkinson’s Fitness includes Yoga in our programs.
Instructor Heather Tharpe leads her weekly Wednesday class in a wonderful new space at the Greater Beverly YMCA. Click here for a class description, location, and time.
We encourage you to make it a priority to visit Heather’s class and learn first-hand how Yoga can improve your physical strength, flexibility, and balance and create a positive sense of emotional relaxation.
“Strategy without execution
is the slowest route to victory,
and tactics without strategy
is the noise before defeat.”
―Sun Tzu
Sun Tzu was a Chinese general, military strategist, writer, and philosopher who lived in the Eastern Zhou period of ancient China. Sun Tzu is traditionally credited as the author of The Art of War, a widely influential work of military strategy that has affected both Western and East Asian philosophy and military thinking.
When your strategy for holding Parkinson’s symptoms at bay is – “I’ll plan for exercise, education, and socialization with others to manage my Parkinson’s” – but then none of it is put into action, Parkinson’s gains another life-robbing victory in the war.
The Parkinson’s Fitness team is here to provide BOTH the strategies and the ways to execute them that fit YOUR abilities! We have a whole variety of classes and programs that address the many challenges Parkinson’s symptoms create. TRY ANY OR ALL OF THEM! Click here for days, times and locations.
Remember watching talented actor Alan Alda in many movies, television series and PBS broadcasts…especially those episodes of “Mash” in which he became a regular favorite in our lives as Army Capt. Hawkeye Pierce? Well, he was recently interviewed on CBS This Morning about his now-public Parkinson’s diagnosis.
Follow the link below to a video to hear him share his story…and his positive outlook…about living with a now all-too-familiar opponent of ours…Parkinson’s. Sorry for the advertisements, but his interview is well worth the annoyance of seeing and listening to any ads.
https://www.thewrap.com/alan-alda-parkinsons-disease/
Who IS this??
He is Janus, the mythological god of endings and beginnings, of gateways and doorways…a fitting symbol for the first month of a new year, as we say good-bye to 2017 and usher in 2018.
The familiar “Dear Abby” titled her advice in this New Year’s Day local newspaper, “Make the Most of a New Year by Taking One Day at a Time”. Following are brief excerpts from what she wrote, stating that the original and often requested New Year’s Resolutions were adapted from the original Al-Anon credo...wise and inspirational thoughts for all of us. Let us accept this New Year as would Janus…looking back at many lessons learned and forward toward another chance for a new beginning.
“Just for today: I will live through THIS DAY ONLY. I will not brood about yesterday or obsess about tomorrow. I will set goals but not try to overcome all of my problems at once.”
“Just for today: I will be happy. I will not dwell on thoughts that depress me.”
“Just for today: I will improve my mind. I will read something that requires effort, thought and concentration.”
“Just for today: I will make a conscious effort to be agreeable. I will be kind and courteous to those who cross my path, and I’ll not speak ill of others. I will improve my appearance and refrain from improving anybody but myself.”
“Just for today: I will do something positive to improve my health. I will gather the courage to do what is difficult but right, and I will take responsibility for my own actions.”
Parkinson’s Fitness and MedRhythms Neurologic Music Therapy collaborated to provide THE best educational seminar at the Beverly COA on September 7th!
MedRhythms Neurologic Music Therapy CEO/co-founder, Brian Harris, presented such interactive, engaging, eye-opening information, that all 78 of us who attended couldn’t believe how quickly an hour and a half passed by! Everyone remained completely focused on what Brian explained and demonstrated.
Video clips showing the effect of using music rhythms to reach areas of the brain that control speech, body movements, and cognition were fascinating, especially because actual patients were shown interacting with the MedRhythms therapists. Brian and a seminar audience volunteer held everyone’s attention as she participated in a demonstration of how rhythmic beat affects the way our brain “tells” the body how to move.
Our audience included people affected by Parkinson’s, stroke, traumatic brain injury, Multiple Sclerosis, Cerebral Palsy and other forms of neurologic conditions, as well as memory impairment. Brian’s program was a wonderful introduction into a complementary form of neurologic therapy. To witness in the videos the effect of specifically chosen rhythms on movement and gait, and the happy look of satisfaction on the face of a patient who re-gained his ability to once again communicate, was heartening to watch.
There’s a future filled with promise waiting to be explored by many people here in our local communities, and we will do whatever we possibly can to create a way to build programming that includes MedRhythms neurologic music therapies. We invite you to join our efforts!
To read more about MedRhythms, click here.
In the May 8, 2017 online issue of Parkinson’s News Today, a “Facts You May Not Know About Parkinson’s” article includes the following information – interesting reading!
The types of exercise you choose will depend, to some degree, on the severity of your Parkinson’s disease and your overall health. According to the Parkinson’s Disease Clinic and Research Center at the University of California, the exercises should be varied and incorporate changing directions through unplanned movement, cardiovascular exercise, balance, strength training and rhythmical exercises.
Unplanned and Random Movement
The exercises listed require the person to change tempo and direction regularly. These will challenge a person mentally as well as physically as they require concentration to perform.
• Walking, hiking or jogging
• Racket sports such as badminton, table tennis, squash
• Yoga or Tai Chi
• Outdoor cycling
• Dancing
• Aerobic classes
• Marching with swinging arms
• Swimming in different strokes
Planned and Repeated Movement
These exercises are generally repeated movements that require balance. They can be performed while doing something that challenges a person mentally, such as watching a quiz show or the news, throwing and catching balls, singing, or problem-solving.
• Cycling on a static bike
• Weightlifting using light weights
• Swimming laps in the same stroke
• Slow walking on a treadmill
Members of our Salem and Beverly Strength in Motion classes instructed by Kim Crowley are finding themselves stronger and with better control over their mobility issues. And little wonder about that! Read on to learn about the other kinds of classes Kim is independently involved with locally. We’re so fortunate that she is willing to share her incredible energy, time and knowledge twice a week as one of our Parkinson’s Fitness team of instructors!
Coupled with her active home life as a busy wife and mom, here’s just a peek into a few of the ways Kim teaches elsewhere during the week.
Introduction to Muscle Training, Strength and Stretch, Weight Training, Senior Boot Camp, Small Group Circuit Training and…wait for it!…ZUMBA!
And speaking of Zumba, Kim and colleague Rachelle Bruzzese recently participated in an annual fundraising “Zumbathon” to raise money for Children’s Charities. The money raised this year went to Boston Children’s Hospital and www.GrantBirthdayWishes.org. Over $3,000 was raised!
Way to go, Kim!
Click here for our weekly schedule that includes Kim’s Strength in Motion classes.
There are some people you just DON’T want to under-estimate!
The boxing area provided for our use at the Salem Fitness Center is a great place to work on the benefits of shifting one’s center of gravity and improving footwork, balance, cognitive focus, and general body conditioning…not to mention being able to punch out frustrations on the heavy bags!
To “meet” the instructors, read about the program, find our location, and view a calendar:
click here
Whether you were diagnosed lately or a long while ago, the Michael J. Fox Foundation has created a wonderful guide for finding one’s way through the maze of changes produced by Parkinson’s. We encourage you to visit the site…
https://www.michaeljfox.org/understanding-parkinsons/parkinsons-360.html?et_cid=845063&et_rid=224746459&et_lid=PD360em_cid=
Our September 29th “Living Well with Parkinson’s” symposium was attended by 150 people, over 20 supporting information vendors, and highlighted by four great guest speakers!
