OhioHealth “Delay the Disease”, an evidenced-based fitness programme designed for people with Parkinson’s disease, is one of the newest members of the OhioHealth family of neuroscience programmes. The community-based wellness programme is designed to empower those living with Parkinson’s disease by optimising their physical function and helping to delay the progression of symptoms associated with Parkinson’s disease.
“Medicare data show, in Ohio alone, more than 21,000 people are treated for Parkinson’s disease each year, with 7,500 new cases diagnosed every year,” says Connie Gallaher, OhioHealth System vice president of Neuroscience. “With Delay the Disease, OhioHealth is able to bring this extraordinary programme to more Parkinson’s patients, giving them the opportunity to help with management of the disease through exercise.”
The Delay the Disease programme compliments OhioHealth’s full continuum of expert neurologists and neurological rehabilitation specialists, with a wellness programme offering fitness classes, Delay the Disease personal training, and instruction available as a book and DVD.
David Zid and Jackie Russell have been partners in Delay the Disease since 2006. David Zid is certified through ACE as a personal trainer and APG as a functional fitness trainer. Jackie Russell saw the effects of Parkinson’s disease through the eyes of a loved one, when her mother-in-law was diagnosed, and has collaborated with David on translating Delay the Disease to DVD and book formats, training new Delay the Disease instructors, and pioneering a “Train the Caregiver” community education programme.
Delay the Disease is an established programme in central Ohio, with approximately 2000 exercise classes conducted over the past seven years and more than 200 weekly participants. But the programme is not limited to Ohio, with classes held by certified Delay the Disease trainers across the USA.
