Complete care for people with Parkinsons, right inside our YMCA!

Driven by research, Premier Health and Countryside YMCA now offer a robust continuum of care for our community with Parkinson's Disease or Parkinsons type symptoms.

Entry into this program begins at Premier Health's Sports Medicine and Physical Therapy clinic, located on the lower level of our YMCA. Depending on the level of ability, each client will either begin in formal Physical Therapy (PT) and/or in our Delay the Disease program. This program is led by licensed Physical Therapists and Physical Therapist Assistants who have undergone extensive training in Parkinsons Rehabilitation, including certification with Delay the Disease and/or LSVT/BIG (Lee Silverman Voice Treatment).

How it works:

The first session begins with measurements that determine the participants' clinical  baseline, and identify any immediate risk factors. Participants are assessed for walking speed, walking stability, endurance, leg strength and balance. These measures can be tracked over the coming years and reported to a primary care physician or neurologist.

Once a client joins this program, this data can be reassessed annually, further enhancing our ability to address changes in the disease progression more rapidly.

As clients complete the Delay the Disease Fitness program, they are being continually assessed for progression of symptoms, so that any changes can be addressed efficiently. This includes referral into formal PT, or referrals to other licensed professionals such as occupational therapists, speech therapists, neuro rehab, or neurologists. If recommended, a referral to physical therapy or other medical treatment can be pursued at a provider of your choice and is covered by insurance.

Delay the disease is a fee/pay class, that presently is covered 50% by a generous donation from the Parkinson's Foundation.

When clients demonstrate readiness, they are referred into our community level program at our YMCA, led by a credentialed staff member.

It is important to note that linear progression is not necessarily the goal! Participants might be in the Delay the Disease class and also the YMCA class, or in either class and in formal PT. Our partnership goal is to provide a full array of services along the Parkinsons journey to effectively meet all the clients' needs. 

Delay The Disease Countryside YMCA

Virtual Classes for People with Parkinson's 

Through our Wellness with Parkinson's at the Y program you have access to free virtual classes, YMCA Member's can access virtual classes anytime through their YMCA 360 app. Members and Non Members can also view WORKOUT 1 and WORKOUT 2 by clicking on the link (recorded by Debbie Parshall, YMCA instructor and director in 2020, each class is 25 minutes in length). Online Exercise is an important part of healthy living for everyone, but for people with Parkinson's exercise is vital to maintaining balance, mobility and activities of daily living. Please connect with us before taking the virtual classes. Our goal is to have all clients enter our programs through Premier Health's Delay the Disease program for appropriate screening.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, The Delay the Disease program and formal physical therapy is available to anyone.  And YMCA led exercise classes are offered to both YMCA Members at a reduced rate. Non-members may participate by purchasing a Program Membership and registering for the program.