Oak Trace Residents Will Participate in National Initiative, Pump It for Parkinson’s Challenge On April 10th, Before World Parkinson’s Day
On Thursday, April 10th, residents and team members at Oak Trace senior living community in Downers Grove will participate in Pump It for Parkinson’s. The event is an initiative of the National Institute for Fitness and Sport in partnership with NuStep. It was started to raise awareness about Parkinson’s disease and to promote the benefits of exercise in easing the symptoms and perhaps slowing the disease progression. World Parkinson’s Day is on April 11th.
“This year we’re going all out for Pump It for Parkinson,” said Gina O’Leary, fitness supervisor for Oak Trace. “We are having t-shirts made, decorating the NuStep machines in our fitness center, hosting a DJ, having a photo booth, and serving snacks,” she said. “We’re really encouraging people to participate, not only in this event but in our fitness and wellness programs in general. This is a great way to get people to the fitness center and have a fun day of exercise.”
The Parkinson’s Foundation reports that nearly one million people in the U.S. are living with Parkinson’s disease, and that number is estimated to reach 1.2 million by 2030. It is the second most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer’s disease.
To address the growing prevalence of Parkinson’s disease and enhance the quality of life for residents living with it, the fitness team at Oak Trace has launched a special exercise program called NeuroMOVE. “This is specifically designed for individuals experiencing neurological symptoms,” said Gina. She and Lisa Humbert, fitness instructor and personal trainer at Oak Trace, have earned special certification as exercise instructors from the American Parkinson’s Disease Association. Lisa is in the process of becoming a Parkinson’s Disease Fitness Specialist.
Pump It for Parkinson’s
The goal of the Pump It for Parkinson’s challenge across the country, is to accumulate a total of 25 million steps on April 11th. At Oak Trace, participants will log steps during 15-minute increments. These will be logged with the national total. They can complete the steps either on the senior living community’s NuStep equipment or via biking, dancing, or participating in other forms of exercise. “Our residents love a challenge and can be a bit competitive,” Gina said.
“During the event, we will be sharing educational handouts including breakthroughs in Parkinson’s disease research, nutrition, exercises, etc.,” Gina said.
Oak Trace’s participation and promotion of the event qualify the community for a drawing for a NuStepT6 cross trainer.
