A senior living community in Sioux Falls is the first and only facility in South Dakota to feature a program aimed at helping patients with Parkinson’s Disease.
The Inn on Westport opened a studio specifically for the program called ‘Rock Steady Boxing’. The nonprofit organization was started in 2006 by a patient in Indianapolis with early onset of the disease. Scott Newman, who was told not to exercise because of his disease, actually found success through boxing. His symptoms subsided and with the help of a boxing champion started boxing classes. Rock Steady Boxing Program Director Lisa Howard says there are now 330 Rock Steady gyms across the nation in 46 states.
Howard said, “They have balance and footwork drills. They’re using hand eye coordination. They’re working on their agility speed of movement, their mental focus. These are all the same thins that Parkinson’s patients have issue with.”
The Inn of Westport decided to open the studio because many people in their community suffer from Parkinson’s. However, the program is for anyone who has been diagnosed with the disease. They are starting to do assessments now before they start bringing people through the program.
http://www.kdlt.com/2017/04/06/senior-living-community-opens-boxing-studio-aimed-helping-patients-parkinsons-disease/
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