Corporate Fitness and Active Aging

Regular exercise is incredibly beneficial for people with Parkinson’s disease (PD). It helps manage symptoms like stiffness, gait issues, posture, and balance deficiencies. Individual exercises can build into complex movement patterns, eventually evolving into activities such as dancing, yoga, and boxing. Since PD presents itself uniquely in each person, no two exercise programs will look the same. A personalized plan that takes into account both the individual’s daily needs and the activities they enjoy most will have the greatest impact on improving their quality of life.

Guidelines for a Parkinson’s-specific program recommend three 30-minute sessions per week that include cardiovascular work, strength training, and a preferred activity (yoga, boxing, tai chi, etc.). Training balance, posture, and flexibility should happen daily if possible. Cardiovascular exercise enhances motor function and cognitive abilities, while strength training slows disease progression and improves dopamine efficiency in the brain. Regular balance, posture, and flexibility work promotes better mobility, and a person’s favorite activity helps them apply these skills in a fun and challenging way.

Do it for the moves and the mood! Getting heart rates into the target zone (50-80% of maximum) has been shown to improve executive function, speed of processing, and memory. High-intensity exercise can slow neurodegeneration and, in many cases, even reverse the effects of PD. Cardiovascular exercise can be done with cardio equipment, but it can also be combined with balance, strength, and reflexive movements found in activities like dancing, boxing, or ping pong. This creates a combination of benefits that also boosts mood.

Do it big and with gusto! High-energy movements, challenging sequences, and the ability to adapt in real-time are key. But make room for proper rest and resets throughout. It's important to celebrate achievements along the way and remember—there are no mistakes for someone with Parkinson’s, only opportunities to adjust and discover new ways to move. The brain is always rerouting itself through neuroplasticity.

Movement, sleep, and repair go hand in hand. Exercising regularly in the described style promotes better sleep, allowing the body to repair itself. This includes clearing away brain accumulations, releasing growth hormones to build strength, and reinforcing learning that leads to greater movement efficacy and confidence. Understanding the connection between exercise, sleep, and repair is crucial. Adding an evening ritual of breathwork and flexibility exercises can help maximize the benefits of movement and improve overall wellbeing.

Step up for a cause! Join us Thursday, April 10, for Pump It for Parkinson’s. Together, we can reach 25 million steps in support of those living with Parkinson’s disease. Don’t miss out—register today and help us make a difference!

Westminster Village of Terre Haute was thrilled to participate in the first year of Pump it for Parkinson’s last year! My residents enjoyed the program, learning about the benefits of exercise for those fighting back against Parkinson’s Disease, as well as contributing to a nationwide goal of achieving one million steps along with thousands of other seniors in communities across the country. They also enjoyed the excitement of potentially winning a new NuStep T6 for our fitness center. Residents commented that even if we did not win the machine, at least we aided in the message regarding Parkinson’s Disease being delivered. Once the BIG Day came to an end and our community learned that we won the drawing for the grand prize, our entire community was thrilled and in shock! Now, let’s discuss three features that my residents have been LOVING about their new NuStep T6 recumbent trainer:

Seamless Setup – Numerous residents must only be instructed on how to utilize the NuStep T6 once. Residents enjoy the idea that they can sit within the machine and simply begin to move for the machine to respond to them beginning the activity. The fact that their personalized seat number setting is displayed on the screen allows residents to easily adjust as needed to fit their needs.

Walking Trails – Once residents are set and ready to go with their personalized settings, many utilize the touch screen to select the first dialogue box titled “Walking Trails”. This dialogue box is by far the most popular selection allowing participants to “travel” during exercise. Residents enjoy having me by their side as they travel through the various environments to discuss the architecture within each environment. Each trail supports users in making physical activity more engaging and less monotonous through their work out!

Workout Summary – At the completion of each workout session, the machine displays all the hard work completed for review. Residents are keen to share their workout summaries with me as they complete their workout and ask questions regarding parameters that are tracked that they may not be familiar with. This feature is a great segway into explaining the purpose of exercise utilizing the NuStep T6 while the residents learn something new regarding their physical activity capabilities and progression. I have had a few residents track their workout summaries within their personal journals so they can track their progress and share it with me on a weekly basis.

I highly recommend the NuStep T6 for senior living fitness centers both from the satisfaction in which I see my residents enjoying it as well as my vantage point as a degreed fitness professional and the motivation and engagement I see it supporting my participants in being physically active.

Which of the three categories do you think the residents within your community would enjoy the most? We are pumped to contribute our steps this World Parkinson’s Day on our new NuStep T6!

Follow us at Pump it for Parkinson's on Facebook as we strive for 10,000,000 steps to represent the 10,000,000 people worldwide living with Parkinson's Disease on World Parkinson's Day, Thursday, April 11! 

The National Institute for Fitness and Sport (NIFS) has partnered with NuStep to host a free event on World Parkinson’s Day, Thursday, April 11, 2024, to raise awareness on the benefits of exercise for those fighting back against Parkinson’s. We have a big goal of achieving 10 million steps on the NuStep to honor the 10 million people living with Parkinson’s worldwide.

If your organization would like to rally your communities to join our cause and demonstrate a commitment to resident well-being through education and exercise, we’d love for you to make a Pump it Pledge on how many steps your organization plans to contribute! You can calculate your organization’s Pledge with 3 simple steps:

1. Identify how many of your communities will be participating.
2. Identify how many NuSteps are available at those communities to Pump it with us!
3. Estimate each of those NuSteps taking 30,000 steps on April 11!

This outcome will be your organization’s Pump it Pledge and we’d like to thank you for your contribution by featuring you on our event social posts and in upcoming blogs spotlighting our wonderful supporters! Email Emily Davenport with your Pump it Pledge and for resources your organization can share about the event with your communities, residents, and social followers!

Communities can register at our event page linked here. With 100% of survey participants reporting the event created buzz and engaged their residents in a new way in 2023, your communities are sure to have fun as they contribute to a great cause!

We have also partnered with Team Fox for an optional fundraising element in 2024 for the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. Individuals or communities in this component can find more information here on our Pump it fundraising team!

Last year, the only complaint we heard about Pump it for Parkinson’s was several communities heard about it too late and missed out on the fun! 2023 was the first year the National Institute for Fitness and Sport (NIFS) hosted the event to raise awareness on the benefits of exercise for those fighting back against Parkinson’s Disease and by all accounts it was a smashing success!

• Over 4 million total steps on the NuStep cross trainer were accumulated by senior living communities across the US far exceeding our goal of 1 million steps.
• 100% of event survey responses reported Pump it engaged their residents and staff in a fun new way and created buzz within their community!
• 100% of event surveys reported their residents were pumped to contribute to a Parkinson’s focused event!

As we gear up for year number two, we are going even bigger with new goals, new recruiting efforts to engage more communities, and an optional fundraising element. Here are the basics of what Pump it for Parkinson’s is and how communities can get involved.

Pump it is an event on World Parkinson’s Day where communities can rally their residents and staff to contribute steps on their NuStep cross trainer to submit towards NIFS nationwide goal. Registration is free and participating locations receive a digital toolkit of educational resources, signage and tracking sheets to help them promote and host the event in their community. Hosting Pump it for Parkinson’s is a great way to engage your residents and staff in wellness, contribute to a nationwide goal and help your residents who are impacted by Parkinson’s feel recognized. At the end of the day, communities submit their total step count to NIFS and we tally up all the hard work from thousands of residents and staff across the US who contributed! One thing we heard repeatedly from communities last year is they were surprised to learn how many residents and staff were directly impacted by Parkinson’s Disease and how many residents kept their diagnosis hidden. Pump it empowered many individuals to share their story!

The one-day event will be hosted on Thursday, April 11, 2024, and here are our big goals for this year:

• We are aiming for 10 million total steps to honor the 10 million people living worldwide with Parkinson’s Disease! Rally your residents, staff, families, and prospects to contribute steps on as many NuSteps your community has available. This a great program to engage residents across the continuums if you are a lifeplan community by recruiting your activities and rehab staff in licensed areas to participate! Our motto, every step counts and it’s a great way to help residents of all abilities contribute.
• Due to requests, we are also proud to announce a partnership with Team Fox to incorporate an optional fundraising element for the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF)! Communities can form or a team or individual donations can be made if desired.
• We are inviting senior living operators to make a Pump it Pledge by recruiting as many of your communities to participate in this free event as possible. We will recognize your organization’s commitment to resident well-being through future blogs and social announcements featuring our participating locations. Contact Emily Davenport for more information on creating your organization’s Pump it Pledge!

Not only do communities have an opportunity to participate in an engaging event, but they also have a chance to win a free NuStep T6 Cross Trainer thanks to our partners at NuStep and a kit of Parkinson’s fitness resources from NIFS to enhance their wellness program.

Visit our event page to register: https://wellness.nifs.org/pump-it-for-parkinsons and follow along at Pump it for Parkinson’s Facebook page for great tips, images, and inspiration for a successful event. We would also like to extend a thank you to our event partners who are committed to helping us spread the word about Pump it for Parkinson’s including NuStep, Wellzesta and ICAA. If you are a vendor in the senior living space willing to help us spread our message, please reach out here for more information on how you can help.

Training elements from boxing have become very popular in the active aging segment of the population so it stands to reason that it would be a great training element to include in a senior living fitness program. The benefits when done correctly are immense and include improved balance, cardiovascular fitness, strength, agility as well as hand-eye coordination which translate very well to the functional demands of advancing age. Training methods should concentrate on balance, safety, (lots of water breaks and watch for overexertion,) and most of all….fun! Incorporating boxing into existing group fitness classes or implementing a low impact cardio kickboxing class is a great way to jazz up your group fitness calendar for residents and it is particularly beneficial for residents with Parkinson’s Disease.

Boxing teaches a can-do spirit and instills a level of resiliency that can help those facing difficult tasks, including coming back from injury or sickness. Even though the sport of boxing is an individual one, the camaraderie and community associated with the training is ideal for building social ties and the sense of accomplishing something difficult as a group. The saying that “it’s not how many times you get knocked down but how often you get up!” is universally understood and applicable to almost everyone. Not sure how to get started? Check out the suggested progression below!

• Shadowboxing in the mirror is the best way to begin a workout as it encompasses all the techniques involved in boxing training and gives one instant feedback on how they are progressing. Teaching certain combinations like jab, cross, hook and so forth will also engage the memory and will be entertaining to the class or individual as they try to follow along. Shadowboxing is also great to do first as it is a nice low-impact workout. 30 seconds on with a 30 second break then repeat.
• Next, work on a strength element like static squats and wall push-ups to allow for a recovery of the cardiovascular system. 30 seconds for the static squat/ 30 second break and 30 seconds of wall push-ups followed by a 30 second break.
• Hand/Eye coordination is next and can be done on a speedbag, double-end bag or even playing catch with a pickleball. 30 seconds on, 30 second break.
• After that, working with a heavy bag will develop strength and balance. Hand wraps and appropriate gloves should always be used with this type of work. Those looking for a softer impact can barely ‘tap’ the bag and focus more on the cardio/balance aspects. 30 seconds on, 30 seconds break.
• Mitt work is probably the most fun part of the class or training session and a chance for the boxers to show their stuff. Form a circle or line and have the boxers step in and out for 3 to 5 punch combinations. Make sure everyone has gloves on for this exercise or they can shadowbox in your direction, and you can pretend to be an opponent while keeping safe distance.

Variations of this circuit can be repeated and or modified to allow for different abilities. Finish with 5 minutes of stretching and plenty of water. Have fun and go get ‘em champ!

Considering whether there is opportunity to kick your group fitness calendar up a notch to reach more residents? Read more here…

The prevalence of Parkinson’s Disease is on the rise. Previous numbers indicated that 60,000 Americans are diagnosed each year and new research from the Parkinson’s Foundation indicates a steep 50% increase with 90,000 Americans now diagnosed annually. For senior living providers if you aren’t seeing Parkinson’s amongst your resident population yet, it is on the horizon as diagnosis is directly associated with increased age. This may result in less than a dozen or so residents living with Parkinson’s in your community at a time, but if you consider how Parkinson’s may also be impacting spouses of those diagnosed, the impact is deep. In addition, there is a good chance you have employees and residents with loved ones impacted as Parkinson’s remains the second most common age-related neurological disorder behind Alzheimer’s Disease.

Much like Alzheimer’s, there is no cure, and the treatment path is to control symptoms. One of the best treatments to not only manage symptoms but also delay the onset is through exercise. In NIFS work supporting dozens of senior living communities across the US, I shared previously how we were receiving requests from our clients for quality exercise resources to support residents with Parkinson’s and NIFS development of our signature program Bold Moves.

As April is Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Month, many communities are looking for resources to provide Parkinson’s education to their residents and staff as well as options for quality fitness programs to cater to the unique training needs of residents with Parkinson’s. This is why we are pumped to host Pump it for Parkinson’s!

This event on Tuesday, April 11 will unite the senior living industry for a common cause. The National Institute for Fitness and Sport (NIFS) and our partners at NuStep, ICAA and Wellzesta are inviting communities to join us for this education-based fitness event. Pump it for Parkinson’s is a day-long NuStep-a-thon where we accumulate steps from senior living providers across the US with a goal of achieving 1 million steps to honor the 1 million Americans living with Parkinson’s. NIFS will be providing communities with a packet in the mail of promotional items as well as a digital resource library that can help them customize an event unique to the interests of their residents. With informative resources for your Parkinson’s Education Station, employees, residents and families can learn more about Parkinson’s, grab exercise resources and healthy recipes while also contributing steps on the NuStep!

Registration is free and a great way for a community to introduce wellness resources for Parkinson’s or celebrate the hard work of residents who are already fighting back against the disease! Take advantage of this opportunity to demonstrate your community’s commitment to being an industry leader in helping residents live well!

Every step counts and we would love for your community to join us and contribute to our goal of one million steps. Participating locations will have a chance to win a NuStep T6 Cross Trainer and will also receive a digital toolkit of Parkinson’s fitness resources including exercise videos, handouts and tips from NIFS registered dietitian. 

Register your community for our FREE educational event and get your residents pumping for Parkinson's Disease as we raise awareness!

Over 15 years ago, I remember sitting down at the computer in my senior living client’s fitness center and Googling, “exercises for Parkinson’s disease”. I had a new resident move-in with Parkinson’s and though I’m a certified and degreed exercise physiologist, I wanted to make sure I understood how to support her needs. Her name was Carolyn and I still remember her smile.

I now work at the operational level for NIFS supporting dozens of senior living clients and team members across the country. I benefit from a bird’s eye view of hearing successes and challenges impacting our communities and what residents want in their fitness center. I was continuing to hear requests from clients and staff for Parkinson’s resources. Our clients wanting a quality, yet manageable program that stands up to their brand promise in helping residents live well, and from our staff feeling like there were missed opportunities to better engage these residents.

Our staff are degreed fitness professionals, but those credentials don’t tell the full story of who they are as people. They are intuitive and gifted in relationship building with their members. They shared stories of individuals with Parkinson’s trying an existing balance class and noticing they weren’t coming back. They shared stories of what they were witnessing in the emotional needs of these residents who can also experience fatigue and depression.

As a prospective or current resident with a diagnosis speaks to our clients or staff, we want them to feel confidently met with exercise options that they know are designed for their needs. This is where Bold Moves was born. We spent over a year researching, completing specialized certifications, and meeting with our team to learn not only how to better support the exercise needs of those with Parkinson’s, but in a way that we know is manageable in a senior living fitness environment. We know the equipment, spaces, personnel, and resources commonly in place and created safe and empowering programming with Bold Moves that our staff could apply across different client settings.

Many think they have classes and one-on-one services that residents with Parkinson’s can participate in already. This was our line of thinking too. But after implementing Bold Moves, the level of engagement by residents with Parkinson’s skyrocketed. In the first two months of the program, we saw a 96% increase in group fitness participation by these individuals having a dedicated class on the calendar uniquely designed for their training needs. We have also seen a 100%+ increase in completion of our one-on-one exercise prescription service. These residents are regularly engaging in their community’s fitness centers more and it’s amazing to see how far we’ve come since the days of that simple Google search looking for resources!

We were so pumped by these outcomes; we wanted to celebrate and share resources to help more communities support their residents. On World Parkinson’s Day, we are going BIG with Pump it for Parkinson’s. During this nationwide event on Tuesday, April 11, senior living providers will come together, utilize complimentary programming materials to host their NuStep step-a-thon, and receive expert resources from NIFS to continue supporting their residents with Parkinson’s. Don’t have a NuStep in your community? That’s OK. We can find opportunities utilizing the equipment you do have. It is estimated that one million people are living in the US with Parkinson’s and our goal is to come together and complete at least one million steps on the NuStep as we Pump it for Parkinson’s. In addition to the great Parkinson’s resources including instructional videos for your fitness staff and education from NIFS Registered Dietitian, your community will also have an opportunity to win a free NuStep T6 Cross Trainer in thanks to our partnership with NuStep! We are thankful for our industry partners with NuStep, ICAA and Wellzesta who are helping us spread the word about this event so more communities can join us. For more information and to register your community, visit our Pump it for Parkinson’s page here.

The National Institute for Fitness and Sport (NIFS) presents Pump It for Parkinson’s on World Parkinson’s Day, April 11, 2023. NIFS has partnered with NuStep inviting senior living communities across the country to take part in this event to raise awareness on the benefits of exercise for individuals with Parkinson’s. Pump It for Parkinson’s will be a day-long NuStep challenge for senior communities striving to achieve 30,000 steps on their NuStep.

Emily Davenport, NIFS Director of Fitness Center Management, said, “communities can rally their entire campus by bringing together their residents and employees to accomplish the goal!” NIFS will provide communities with a complimentary programming packet including tracking tools, promotional content, and educational resources they need to get their residents excited. The event’s goal is to accrue 1 million steps representing the 1 million people in the US living with Parkinson’s!

“Whether this event is a community’s first program dedicated to supporting residents with Parkinson’s or a fun add-on to existing offerings, we want to provide resources as they continue to help residents fight back against Parkinson’s,” said Davenport. Participating communities will also receive a Parkinson’s fitness toolkit of resources and videos they can use in their fitness center. Communities that want to get involved need to register here.

“We’re pleased to partner with NIFS and support their event, Pump It for Parkinson’s. And we’re honored that participants will be using NuStep cross trainers throughout the day to demonstrate the importance of exercise for people with Parkinson’s," said NuStep Vice President of Marketing and Product Development, Tobey Thelen. As an added incentive, thanks to NuStep and NIFS, communities may be eligible to win a NuStep T6 Cross Trainer for participating in Pump It for Parkinson's.

Nearly 10 million individuals are living with Parkinson’s Disease worldwide and each year 90,000 Americans are diagnosed with this degenerative condition. Three years ago, NIFS embarked on developing a comprehensive fitness program to meet the unique needs of residents with Parkinson’s Disease for their senior living community clients. From this, Bold Moves programming specifically designed for residents with Parkinson’s was born.

NIFS would like to thank strategic partners, NuStep and Wellzesta, for supporting Pump It for Parkinson’s and their help in creating awareness of the unique fitness needs residents with Parkinson’s Disease have.

To find out more about Fitness Center Management by NIFS, call (317) 274-3432, email Emily Davenport.

NuStep is a leading manufacturer of recumbent cross-trainers used in healthcare, senior living, and fitness settings worldwide.

Communities can learn more about this complimentary program and register for the event by clicking the button below!

Follow the event on our Facebook page: Pump It for Parkinson's

“What keeps NIFS from inviting folks with varying neurological conditions into our Bold Moves for Parkinson’s class since it is also a neurological disease??”

This is a great question because it is a priority for our clients (and for us) to make sure programs and services are as inclusive as possible. But in this situation, Bold Moves is specifically designed for those who have Parkinson’s Disease and here are a few considerations on why that is the case!

Did You Know...

• ...Parkinson’s Disease is progressive and without a cure?
• ...medications and surgical procedures are only to help minimize symptoms?
• ...those same medications start to wear off and do not help as much as they did at the start of use?
• ...exercise is prescribed just as much if not more than medication for symptom management?

NIFS Bold Moves group fitness class is exclusively available to residents with Parkinson’s because the training modalities they need to manage symptoms are unique. We followed the science to make sure we were bringing our clients and their residents an evidence-based program for their fitness center and while exercise is GREAT for anyone, that doesn’t mean ALL exercises are meant for everyone. Some training modalities that benefit those with Parkinson’s in Bold Moves may be contraindicated for individuals with other neurological conditions.

Our goal with Bold Moves is to provide a safe space that encourages the types of exercise that will assist those with Parkinson’s to ease symptoms of the disease. For example, large, big, (dare we say, bold 😉,) movements are encouraged for range of motion and fighting rigidity, but did you know we should not encourage cross over steps for these participants? Another example of a warmup we might include is for facial muscles due to the symptoms that limit muscle movement in the face which can lead to further problems with swallowing and talking. Yes, we will include fitness staples like cardiovascular exercise, full body strength, and flexibility exercises, but they will each be nuanced for the symptoms individuals experience with Parkinson’s. Furthermore, if a group setting isn’t enjoyable for a resident, they can receive an individualized Bold Moves fitness program utilizing the equipment in the fitness center or the pool!

While these exercise considerations are clear in the Bold Moves training NIFS team members receive, how they format their classes remains unique for their participants. We don’t take a cookie cutter approach across our communities in how we format a fitness class, plan an exercise challenge, or promote the next big splash in aquatics programming and Bold Moves is no exception. Our skilled staff learn from their residents at each community and create a program that meets participants where they are with Bold Moves classes looking different at every client site NIFS serves. We love seeing how our team applies their Bold Moves training to give the program its own unique flavor at every community!

Recently, NIFS interviewed several members at varying client locations to get their feedback on why they participate in this program and if it has helped them. The answer is a resounding yes! They are feeling the difference in how their body moves and feels after their sessions. They are paying attention more to the cues NIFS fitness staff provide them during class and remind themselves when they are out in the community. Most importantly, they are thankful someone has the understanding that they cannot control these movement symptoms and they have confidence that they are performing the best exercises unique to their needs as part of their symptom management.

Learn more about our program for residents with Parkinson's Disease by clicking below.

Exercise continues to be one of the best tools to slow the progression and combat symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease and the need for senior living communities to have dedicated exercise programs for residents with Parkinson’s is increasing. According to the Parkinson’s Foundation, 60,000 Americans are diagnosed annually and 96% of those diagnosed are over the age of 50 leaving seniors looking for best-in-class amenities and services including fitness professionals who understand their condition and can help them safely maximize the benefits of exercise.

Executive directors and marketing directors in the senior living communities NIFS serves were asking us for a marketable program they could offer in their fitness centers to support both current and prospective residents with a Parkinson’s diagnosis. NIFS culminated our years of experience developing expert health and fitness programming, supporting residents with Parkinson’s, and immersing ourselves in the science and research to develop Bold Moves™ a Parkinson’s Program by NIFS.

While NIFS had the resources to develop such a program, it was no easy feat and as usual we relied on our expert staff to help us learn what works, what doesn’t, and what resources and education we needed to enhance our department. Our staffs’ passion and commitment to finding exercise solutions to support the needs of their residents is boundless and supporting those with Parkinson’s is no exception as they helped us develop Bold Moves to incorporate:

We were able to learn from the experiences of team members across the US and industry experts in the field of exercise and Parkinson’s to create a truly unique program for our residents. Best of all, it’s making an impact with how much residents are engaging in exercise generating a 96% increase in group fitness visits by participants and 92% of them rating Bold Moves as good to outstanding. These statistics are from residents already residing at these communities which indicates a dedicated Parkinson’s program supports these residents in moving more!

Today, NIFS team members complete a comprehensive 8-week training including a specialty certification in Parkinson’s & Exercise to effectively launch Bold Moves for our clients. We collaborate with community personnel to incorporate an interdisciplinary team approach to bridge resources and care where needed. Residents with PD have confidence in the credentials of their fitness staff and a program uniquely designed to meet them wherever they are in their fitness journey. In turn, NIFS senior living clients have a marketable service that helps them create distinction in their marketplace with 100% of participants rating Bold Moves as a great feature of a great community!

Here are a few questions to evaluate on how your community could take steps to support residents with Parkinson’s:

• What are the credentials of my fitness staff to deliver effective and safe Parkinson’s fitness programs?
• Do we have a class on the group fitness schedule that provides the training modalities, equipment and safety factors to support residents with Parkinson’s in a class setting?
• For those who don’t like group exercise, how can we provide exercise options for them in the fitness center or pool that can help them manage symptoms?
• What pathways to bridge resources are established with other disciplines in your community like physical, occupational or speech therapy, dietitians, or healthcare navigators?