OhioHealth Delay the Disease Parkinson’s Program Gets Participants Moving Again

Parkinson’s Disease is a neurodegenerative condition that causes tremors, stiffness, slowness, behavioral disorders, sleep problems and functional decline.

“Medicare data shows, in Ohio alone, more than 21,000 people are treated for Parkinson’s Disease each year, with 7,500 new cases diagnosed every year,” said Connie Gallaher, OhioHealth System Vice President of Neuroscience. “With Delay the Disease, OhioHealth is able to bring this extraordinary program to more Parkinson’s patients, giving them the opportunity to help with management of the disease through exercise.”

The Delay the Disease program compliments OhioHealth’s full continuum of expert neurologists and neurological rehabilitation specialists, with a wellness program offering fitness classes, Delay the Disease personal training, and instruction available as a book and DVD.

David Zid and Jackie Russell, have been partners in Delay the Disease since 2006. David Zid, BA, ACE, APG, is certified through ACE as a personal trainer and APG as a functional fitness trainer. Jackie Russell, RN, BSN, CNOR, saw the effects of Parkinson’s Disease through the eyes of a loved one, when her mother-in-law was diagnosed, and has collaborated with David on translating Delay the Disease to DVD and book formats, training new Delay the Disease instructors, and pioneering a “Train the Caregiver” community education program.

Delay the Disease is an established program in central Ohio, with approximately 2000 exercise classes conducted over the past 7 years and more than 200 weekly participants. But the program isn’t limited to Ohio, with classes held by certified Delay the Disease trainers across the country.

For a complete listing of current Delay the Disease classes, go to www.delaythedisease.com.

About OhioHealth
OhioHealth is a nationally recognized, not-for-profit, charitable, healthcare organization with Methodist roots. Based in Columbus, Ohio, OhioHealth is currently recognized as one of the top five large health systems in America by Truven Health Analytics and has been for five years in a row. It is also recognized by FORTUNE Magazine as one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” and has been for eight years in a row, 2007-2014.

Serving its communities since 1891, it is a family of 28,000 associates, physicians and volunteers, and a network of 11 hospitals, 50+ ambulatory sites, hospice, home-health, medical equipment and other health services spanning a 40-county area.

OhioHealth hospitals include OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital, OhioHealth Grant Medical Center, OhioHealth Doctors Hospital-Columbus, OhioHealth Grady Memorial Hospital, OhioHealth Dublin Methodist Hospital, OhioHealth Doctors Hospital-Nelsonville, OhioHealth Hardin Memorial Hospital, OhioHealth Marion General Hospital, OhioHealth O’Bleness Hospital, OhioHealth MedCentral Mansfield Hospital, OhioHealth MedCentral Shelby Hospital and OhioHealth Rehabilitation Hospital. For more information, please visit our website at www.ohiohealth.com.