The Hodding-Carter Memorial YMCA is launching two programs geared toward improving the livelihood and overall physical wellbeing of adults here in Washington County and surrounding areas.
The Moving for Better Balance and Parkinson’s Program at the YMCA are being implemented just in time for the transition of winter to spring — a typically ideal season for physical activity.
Operations director Mickie Sandidge shared that Hodding-Carter has received grant money from two different sources — South Delta Planning and Development District, Inc. and King’s Daughters and Sons Circle Number Two — making implementation of the programs possible.
Sandidge highlighted the Moving for Better Balance program has been going on since the better part of 2021.
Another round of funding from SDPDD allowed the program, which started back up on Feb. 9, to continue through it’s 12-week session until April 29.
Classes are scheduled for 9:15-10:15 a.m. and 5:30-6:30 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday.
“Both of these programs are going to be targeting people living with chronic conditions,” Sandidge said. “The class itself is based on the principles of Tai-Chi. It’s to learn movements especially to prevent falls.”
She also noted the Moving for Better Balance program helps individuals 60 years and older to achieve more muscle strength, flexibility, reduced stress and of course, improved balance.
Every 14 seconds, an older adults is treated in the emergency room due to fall related injuries.
Additionally, fall related injuries are a major public health concern for individuals age 60 and up as well as those living with chronic conditions.
“A lot of our community now and those of us who are mature citizens need all the help we can get in preventing things rather than waiting until they happen and then trying to recover from them,” Sandidge pointed out.
The Parkinson’s Program is slated to begin March 1 and is for people that have been diagnosed with or have symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease.
“We’ve never done this before but there are other YMCA’s that have done programs similar to this and they really say it’s been beneficial and has been very well received by the communities they’ve been in,” Sandidge said.
She added that the Parkinson’s Program will be more for those who need to be seated.
Although the program exercises cannot reverse symptoms of Parkinson’s, the classes have been designed to improve balance, mobility, muscle strength and in turn, help participants to be able to move more normally in a day-to-day life, according to the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation.
Repetition of movements and even bending over and picking up a 2 lb. weight are examples of what participants can expect to work on Sandidge shared.
She explained that those who live with Parkinson’s typically lose those muscle skills because the progressions can sometimes be very rampant.
“I feel like it’s going to be very advantageous to a lot of people,” Sandidge said. “We are always looking for ways to enhance the living standards of people and their quality of life.”
Parkinson’s Program classes will be instructed by April Humphrey and held from 11 a.m. to noon on Mondays and Wednesdays of each week beginning March 1 to Aug. 27.
Both programs are at no-cost to eligible participants.
