In mid-April, Encompass Health hosted a Parkinson's Boot Camp at A-State to help its clients with their mental, emotional, and physical health.
“We have a high number of Parkinson's clients in this area, and we have very limited resources,” said Dr. Amanda Mueller. Mueller is a physical therapist and the organizer of the Parkinson’s Boot Camp.
Mueller is also a professor of physical therapy at A-State. She said the camp is a great tool to help people with Parkinson's Disease by sharing their stories with others going through the same thing.
“They can share their experiences that they've gone through,” Mueller said, “and also share the resources that we have, not only through Encompass and ASU, but also other areas and then it's also a great way to get them moving and get them active and show them some things that they can do at home as they continue to live with Parkinson's.”
Parkinson's Disease is a brain disorder that causes uncontrollable or involuntary movements, such as stiffness, tremors, and problems with coordination and balance. As the disease progresses in the brain, difficulties in walking and speaking may appear.
Professor Mueller clarified how orgasmic recreational activities can help the health of people with Parkinson's disease.
“We specifically address some of the symptoms that they have related to Parkinson's,” said Mueller. “So, for example, somebody with Parkinson's may have slowed movement. So we're going to do specific activities and exercises that are going to address those slow movements."
"Somebody with Parkinson’s may speak really softly, so we're going to do activities that are going to address those people who speak really softly. So, everything is specific to what they may experience living with Parkinson’s.”
The Red W.O.L.F. Center on the A-State campus is a gymnasium with a large basketball court, which was used by Mueller and other counselors for various recreational activities such as stretching, yoga poses and hoop shooting.
“We do Parkinson's specific activities that are therapeutic,” Mueller said. “So, we really focus on those activities that are going to target individuals with Parkinson’s and what their specific needs are. and we make sure that they're therapeutic. So they are skilled, they require training, we go through certification. So if you come here, you're going to get skilled therapeutic activities.”
Mueller said this the second time the Parkinson’s Boot Camp has been organized at A-State. She said she hopes to continue throwing the camp for many more years to come.
From what was seen at the training camp, it had an impact among the participants. As a result, Professor Mueller has a vision for a long-term plan to expand this project, but for now her focus is on Jonesboro.
“We're going to hopefully offer the boot camp twice a year,” said Mueller. “We're going to offer it in the summertime and then in the Fall as well and if we continue to grow and expand, we'll certainly go throughout Arkansas and northeast Arkansas and expand on them. but for now, we'll do them here in this area.”
