September 28, 2008 by mike.

David Zid has announced he will conduct his exercise program featured in his Parkinson’s Disease exercise book, “Delay the Disease”, on November 9 in Plymouth Minnesota’s Plymouth Creek Center.

To reserve your spot send email request to:
reserve_zid@pfp-mn.org

or go to
www.pfp-mn.org
for details.

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September 1, 2008 by mike.

Parkinson’s-Specific Exercise Plan Restoring Lives

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Dec. 6 /PRNewswire/ — Since the spring release of his new book and instructional DVD, Delay the Disease - Exercise and Parkinson’s Disease, David Zid delights in the positive response from participants whose lives are enhanced thanks to following his daily fitness program. Participants worldwide are thrilled that their Parkinson’s symptoms have been minimized. “It might be overly dramatic to say exercise saved my life, but it certainly saved the quality of my life,” boasts program participant Kathy Cooper.

Zid, an ACE, APG certified trainer, designed the Parkinson’s-specific program to exercise all parts of the body, focusing on balance, flexibility, strength and coordination. Nearly two years after being diagnosed, Kathy Cooper began the Delay the Disease exercise program. “I’ve noticed improvements in the way I walk and maintain my balance,” explains Cooper. “I now take bigger steps and no longer seem to shuffle or limp. I smile ‘normally’ and my relaxed facial expression has improved.”

Participants are enthusiastic about the practical nature of the routine. Emphasis is placed on activities of daily living that frequently become a challenge to those with Parkinson’s, such as rising from a chair, moving about in crowds, and getting in and out of the car. “The program has really helped me stand up from a seated position by using the ‘nose over toes’ technique,” reports program participant Jerry Timmons.

According to Zid, the most rewarding stories are the individuals who associate an improved mindset with the Delay the Disease fitness program. Though Cooper attributes multiple physical improvements since beginning the routine, “The biggest change is my mental outlook,” she gloats. “My demeanor has improved so much that my overall reaction to this affliction has become almost dismissive. My small voice has been replaced with a stronger one and overall, I feel as good, or better, than my pre-afflicted self.”

Parkinson’s professionals and those affected by the disease are grateful for the simplicity, organization and comprehensiveness of the exercise manual and DVD. The program empowers the patient to participate in their healing and cope with the difficult Parkinson’s diagnosis. Marjorie Johnston, a clinical exercise specialist in Naples, Florida, has been conducting Parkinson’s fitness classes for over ten years and is responsible for reviewing exercise programs for recommendation to her Parkinson’s association. “The Delay the Disease program is the first program that I feel I can enthusiastically recommend to my organization and participants. The exercise inventory is excellent.” The National Parkinson’s Foundation Center of Excellence at Indiana University recently used a portion of their funding for a bulk purchase of books and DVDs to distribute to their patients to encourage daily exercise.

Author David Zid leads a weekly class based on this fitness routine where Parkinson’s participants discover fun, fitness and camaraderie. A portion of Delay the Disease proceeds is used to support Parkinson’s research and development. The book and DVD are available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com or http://www.delaythedisease.com.

Contact:
David Zid
Columbus Health Works
614.419.4678
delaydisease@aol.com
http://www.delaythedisease.com

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April 13, 2008 by mike.

An unusually serious one, this. Research shows that tango can actually be good for people suffering from Parkinson’s Disease, a degenerative disease of the nervous system.

Researchers Gammon M. Earhart, Ph.D., assistant professor of physical therapy, and Madeleine E. Hackney, a predoctoral trainee in movement science, compared the effects of Argentine tango dance classes to exercise classes on functional mobility in 19 patients with Parkinson’s disease. The participants in the dance program showed significant improvement in several standard tests for patients with Parkinson’s disease

Tango is often viewed as one of the more challenging dances to become good at, rather than merely proficient. I can’t help wondering if it’s that quality of concentration and co-ordination that helps in this situation.

The researchers said that while dance in general may be beneficial for patients with Parkinson’s disease, tango uses several aspects of movement that my be especially relevant for these patients including dynamic balance, turning, initiation of movement, moving at a variety of speeds and walking backward.

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October 19, 2007 by mike.

Dr. Jay Adlersberg
(New York - WABC, October 12, 2007) - An interesting lesson shared on the Upper East Side. The wife of boxing legend Muhammad Ali spoke about her experience dealing with Parkinson’s disease.

Eyewitness News Dr. Jay Adlersberg was there and joins us with more.
Somehow the champ is always the champ, in the ring or years later with Parkinson’s disease.

Parkinson’s disease robs the body of smooth and coordinated muscle action and with time the illness can get worse. That’s where a patient’s caregiver or caregivers come in. For Muhammad Ali, it’s his wife Lonnie who is his main caregiver. Lonnie Ali has a very personal point of view on being a caregiver.

Today in Manhattan, Lonnie Ali spoke to a group of Parkinson’s patients and their caregivers as part of “Fight for More,” a program to spread information to the families of Parkinson’s patients.

“Hopefully this will inspire them and give them resources they need and give them hope,” said Parkinson’s caregiver Lonnie Ali.

Part of that hope is Dr. Warren Olanow, a researcher in the illness. Despite advances in treatments, it’s the human partnership that’s critical.

“Parkinson’s disease is a two person disease and both patient and caregiver require attention,” said Dr. Warren Olanow at Mt. Sinai Medical Center.

Two people like Kate and Gary Oberlin, Gary recently had brain surgery for Parkinson’s and though his muscle skills are better, he’s still a challenge.

“One day he’ll be perfect and the next day he’ll be off or have mood changes on the surface. It’s not predictable,” said Kate Oberlin, caregiver for Gary. “So, it’s kind of the unpredictability of the disease,”

Perhaps this caregiver tip sheet will help make things more predictable. It talks about things like keeping active, keeping a sense of humor and taking care of yourself.

Though there is a lot to take care about the health of Parkinson’s patients, it’s the caregiver’s health that is an issue. It takes two strong bodies to fight the disease.

“I sprained my foot and I didn’t see a doctor. I kept putting it off and off,” said Lonnie Ali. “It is important that if something happens, you don’t delay it.”

Gary Oberlin says that sometimes he gets depressed over how much attention his wife has to pay to him because of his Parkinson’s. It’s obvious there are emotional issues that the program “Fight for More” can provide resources for as well.

The caregiver tip sheet is based on Lonnie’s 20 years of being a caregiver for her husband.

For more information, visit Fight for More website

(Copyright 2007 WABC-TV. All Rights Reserved.)

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September 23, 2007 by mike.

Grant from the Michael J. Fox Foundation Funds Project

Researchers from the University of Maryland School of Medicine and the Baltimore VA Medical Center have launched a study to see if exercising several times a week will help people with Parkinson’s disease improve their walking and balance. A $750,000 grant from the Michael J. Fox Foundation is funding this multi-year project.

“Our main goal is to see if these exercises improve the mobility of Parkinson’s patients,” says Lisa M. Shulman, M.D., principal investigator and associate professor of neurology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Dr. Shulman is also co-director of the Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Center at the University of Maryland Medical Center.

She adds, “Parkinson’s patients tell us that when the disease begins to affect their ability to walk, their entire life is affected. They have trouble with daily activities such as dressing, housekeeping, shopping and getting around their community. That’s why we are so interested in studying if exercise can help these patients improve their gait and balance, because it is so fundamental to their daily lives.”

The project will enroll about 70 participants to compare the potential benefits of three types of exercise. The first group will walk on the treadmill at a comfortable pace, but with increasing duration as the training progresses. Researchers want to see if the repetitive gait training is sufficient to improve mobility. Participants in the second group will receive treadmill training with aerobic conditioning: trainers will safely and gradually increase the incline and speed of the treadmill in an attempt to improve the participants’ cardiovascular and aerobic conditioning. The third group will be using weights and stretching exercises to improve their muscle strength and range of motion. Participants will train three times a week for three months.

“Parkinson’s patients often ask their doctors if they should exercise and, if so, what kind of exercise they should do,” says Dr. Shulman. “However, there haven’t been any rigorous studies focusing on the effect of exercise in Parkinson’s disease. We are excited about this study because, at the end of our research, we hope finally to have some definitive answers for our patients.”

Researchers will use several timed tests of gait to measure progress. All participants will also be evaluated with specialized pedometers to see if there are any increases or decreases in their daily activity over the course of the study. As part of the research, the participants’ heart rates, oxygen use and blood pressure will be measured, monitored and compared after the study’s completion. Investigators will also evaluate muscle strength before and after the exercise program.

The Parkinson’s project builds on previous studies of treadmill training for stroke patients. This research, also conducted at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and the Baltimore VA Medical Center, examined whether the consistent, repetitive motion of walking could help the brain to “rewire” itself, developing new connections to compensate for the damaged ones, a concept known as brain plasticity.

“We have shown that regular exercise on a treadmill can improve stroke patients’ walking ability even years after they’ve had a stroke,” says study co-investigator Richard Macko, M.D., director of the Maryland Exercise and Robotics Center of Excellence at the Baltimore VA Medical Center and professor of neurology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. “Now we are interested to see if this same concept will work for other neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease.”

The training will take place in the Baltimore VA’s Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, a gym facility with special equipment for people who may have some physical limitations. Since Parkinson’s patients may already have some gait problems, they will wear a safety harness while walking on the treadmill and will be carefully supervised. The patients will walk for about a half-hour during each session, but the time will be individualized and adjusted over the course of the training.

The researchers are also interested to see if regular exercise provides emotional benefits as well. The study will evaluate whether the exercise has an effect on depression, apathy and fatigue — emotional symptoms of Parkinson’s that may not respond well to traditional medications.

Parkinson’s disease affects about one million people in the United States. Most people begin to develop Parkinson’s symptoms in their late 50s or early 60s, although it can occur in younger people.

Parkinson’s disease affects the brain’s ability to produce dopamine, the neurotransmitter involved in the communication between the brain cells for motor control. Symptoms include rigidity of the limbs and difficulty initiating movement. Many patients have a tremor that may involve the arms or the legs. Problems with walking and balance are an increasing cause of disability over time.

Parkinson’s patients interested in enrolling in the exercise study should call 443-827-0677.

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September 9, 2007 by mike.

Lonnie Ali has been a caregiver to her husband, Muhammad Ali, who has been in the fight of his life since being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease (PD) more than 20 years ago. Throughout this challenging time she has been in his corner, and now Lonnie is championing Fight For MORE, a national educational campaign that provides resources and tools for Parkinson’s patients and their caregivers.

PD is a chronic progressive disorder of the central nervous system that affects more than 1.5 million people in the United States. For the millions of PD caregivers, the Fight For MORE Web site at www.FightForMORE.com provides community connections, inspirational stories, information of new treatment options and educational materials, such as a caregiver tip sheet. Developed with Lonnie Ali and a leading PD specialist, Dr. Rajesh Pahwa, Professor of Neurology and Director of the Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorder Center at the University of Kansas Medical Center, this caregiver resource provides useful tips based on Lonnie’s real-life experiences.
“While my husband is and always will be a fighter, I believe everyone affected by PD needs someone in their corner,” says Lonnie. “The fight against PD is a team effort that can only be effective when everyone is working together. I’m supporting the Fight For MORE campaign because it empowers caregivers with the knowledge and resources they need to make a difference in the lives of the people they love.”

A recent national survey found that nearly three in five PD caregivers felt a need for more support and education. The majority of these caregivers reported difficulties managing PD medication side effects, as well as the high number of medications patients take.

“One of the biggest challenges that patients and caregivers experience is managing treatment schedules and getting the most active ‘on time’ possible,” said Dr. Pahwa. “This campaign will help patients and caregivers know about new resources, including some of the treatment options that can provide more active ‘on time’-time when patients have less symptoms and their disease is more in control.”
Visit the Fight For MORE Web site at www.FightForMORE.com to learn more about the campaign. Valeant Pharmaceuticals will donate $10 to the Parkinson’s Unity Walk for each person who visits www.FightForMORE.com and signs up to support the campaign, up to $100,000. Unity Walk is the nation’s largest grassroots fundraiser for PD research.

“The Parkinson’s Unity Walk is encouraged to know that the Fight For MORE campaign recognizes the important role of the caregiver,” said Carol Walton, Executive Director and Board Member of the Parkinson’s Unity Walk. “You can visit the Web site to support the campaign to raise funds for Parkinson’s research and support those that endure this disease.”
By openly sharing her story, Lonnie Ali hopes to encourage others to become a part of the Fight For MORE campaign.

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