YMCA of Coastal Carolina offers Parkinson’s disease management program

Posted on Updated on by Hatton Gravely

The Power Thru Parkinson’s program is expanding to Claire Chapin Epps Family YMCA in April

Tidelands Health Pawleys Family YMCA offers a Power Thru Parkinson’s, a Parkinson’s disease management program. In April, this program will expand to the Claire Chapin Epps Family YMCA in Myrtle Beach. 

The Power Thru Parkinson’s program is a 60-minute group exercise class offered to anyone with Parkinson’s Disease, parkinsonisms, or a movement disorder that will benefit from repeptitive, exaggerated, patterns of movement. Each class is composed of 10 to 12 exercises set up as stations ranging from strength training, balance and neuromotor training, as well as cardiovascular and stretching. 

Michelle Dowd, Clinical Services Director for the Tidelands Health Pawleys Family YMCA, explains, “To give you an idea of how we run each class, we begin with a ten minute full body warm-up. After we complete the warm-up we will get set at our station which runs for two minutes and 45-seconds and there is a 45-second water break between each one. Participants are frequently reminded to take a water break when they need it whether it is the specified break. Once we have completed our station work we end class with full body stretches and hand-eye coordination word games.” 

Incorporating exercise has been proven to improve motor disorders and nonmotor disorders in people with Parkinson’s Disease. Furthermore, providing the chance to take part in physical and cognitive exercises in a group setting challenges the person to use muscles, pathways, and expressions they may otherwise shy away from. 

Power thru Parkinson’s Demonstration Classes

  • March 20, 2023 from 11:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
  • March 27, 2023 from 11:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

The Claire Chapin Epps Family YMCA will be launching the program in April. Community members with Parkinson’s are invited to join two demonstration classes to learn more about the program. Classes will be offered on March 20 and 27, 2023 from 11:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

Community members interested in the Power Thru Parkinson’s program may call or visit the Claire Chapin Epps Family YMCA or the Tidelands Health Pawleys Family YMCA for more information. The website is www.coastalcarolinaymca.org

Claire Chapin Epps Family YMCA

5000 Claire Chapin Epps Drive
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
843-449-9622

Tidelands Health Pawleys Family YMCA

12965 Ocean Highway
Pawleys Island, SC 29585
843-237-2205

Updated Hours Today

We hope you and your family stayed safe during the storm. We will resume normal operations at all three YMCA of Coastal Carolina center locations at 11 a.m. today. 

  • Thursday, August 31: All three center locations will reopen at 11 a.m.
  • Friday, September 1: All three center locations will be open during normal hours.
 24-hour access will be unavailable to Tidelands Health Georgetown Family YMCA during the times the center is closed but will resume as normal tonight.