How Exercise Helps PD: The Science and Personal Stories (Virtual)

We talk about it often – exercise is the single intervention that has been shown to slow the progression of Parkinson’s. But what are the options? How are exercise recommendations evolving? And what are the first-hand experiences of participants in PD-specific classes? Join this informative virtual roundtable discussion with exercise instructors, researchers, and individuals living with Parkinson’s.

Roundtable Panelists

Jennifer Wilhelm, PT, DPT, NCS

Jenny is a Physical Therapist who works closely with the Parkinson’s Center of Oregon at OHSU as both a clinician and also as a researcher in the gait and balance disorder laboratory. She is part of TEAM-PD: Therapists Educated and Aligned in the Management of Parkinson’s Disease and has taught throughout the region with an interdisciplinary team on best practice for Parkinson’s. She also presents nationally with the Brian Grant Foundation on exercise and Parkinson’s Disease. Jenny believes that team care, exercise and a healthy lifestyle are vital for all of her patients with Parkinson’s disease.

Nancy Nelson, ACE-CPT Parkinson Disease Exercise Specialist

Nancy Nelson has over 40 years of experience in the health and wellness industry. A lifelong advocate for continuing education, she holds multiple credentials, including ACE Personal Trainer and Functional Training Specialist certifications, PWR! Moves Instructor, Rock Steady Boxing, Delay the Disease, and Tai Ji Quan: Moving for Better Balance training.

Since 2009, Nancy has focused on helping people with Parkinson’s disease improve and maintain their quality of life through exercise. She founded PDEX, LLC to provide group classes and personal training for individuals with Parkinson’s throughout Portland, Oregon, and collaborated on research projects with Oregon Health & Science University and the Oregon Research Institute.

In 2016, she became Exercise Therapy Manager at Parkinson Wellness Recovery (PWR!) in Tucson and joined the PWR! professional education faculty in 2019. Now based in Bend, Oregon, Nancy continues teaching Parkinson-specific classes, assists with the annual PWR! Retreat, remains on PWR!’s faculty, and facilitates a Parkinson’s support group for Parkinson’s Resources of Oregon.

Nancy Barlow, ACE-GFI, PRO Wellness Coordinator

Nancy has over 20 years of offering Parkinson's specific exercise classes and programs. In addition to her ACE certification, Nancy's specific Parkinson's training includes PWR! Instructor certification, Delay the Disease certification, Rock Steady Boxing certification, Urban Poling for Parkinson's certification and Brian Grant training. Nancy has taught the exercise intervention for three different research studies that the OHSU Balance Disorders laboratory has conducted and is currently teaching a fourth study for them.