A Vancouver Island Pickleball Club has started a pilot program that aims to help people with Parkinson乌鸦传媒檚 disease.
A group of eight people with the neurodegenerative disease were first introduced to pickleball by the Parksville-based Oceanside Pickleball Club instructors Ernie Pallot and Sharon Fox on July 25.
Despite having to play when the heat was a bit intense at noon, participants savoured the experience and left feeling good and extremely appreciative of the opportunity. One of them was Duncan Watson, who was diagnosed with the disease 10 years ago.
乌鸦传媒淚t was great to be out there,乌鸦传媒� said Watson, who also attends the Rock Steady boxing program at the Fluid Fitness Studio that is geared towards helping people combat Parkinson乌鸦传媒檚. 乌鸦传媒淚t was a hot day. I was a bit wilted in the end but there are no ill effects the next day. So I am looking forward to our next sojourn with Ernie.乌鸦传媒�
Watson乌鸦传媒檚 wife, Maire, was impressed with the program.
乌鸦传媒淢y heart is full on what they乌鸦传媒檙e doing,乌鸦传媒� said Maire. 乌鸦传媒淭hey乌鸦传媒檙e doing this on a volunteer basis. It乌鸦传媒檚 fantastic. People are not aware of this being given out to the community.乌鸦传媒�
Pallot and Fox held basic lessons that included tossing the ball around, hand-throwing the ball and hitting the ball with each other simply to give them a good feel for the game.
During the course of the lessons, Pallot indicated they will keep a record of everything they乌鸦传媒檙e doing and also hand out self-assessment forms for participants to fill out and bring back for the next session.
乌鸦传媒淭he reason why I want to do this as a pilot program is to have the information available so that we can make it known to the various associations and clubs across Canada, if it乌鸦传媒檚 successful, that they can introduce it themselves,乌鸦传媒� said Pallot, who added that Pickleball BC and Pickleball Canada are quite keen to learn more from the program.
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Pallot started the program in the spring. He was inspired by friend who was diagnosed with the disease and had to give up tennis but switched to pickleball.
乌鸦传媒淗e was able to play pickleball for an additional 10 years,乌鸦传媒� said Pallot. 乌鸦传媒淭he only reason he gave it up was his wife started asking him where he is getting the bruises from. He had to admit he was tripping and falling. So she made him give it up.乌鸦传媒�
Pallot, also a pickleball instructor for the Regional District of Nanaimo, was also made aware some of the students that registered had Parkinson乌鸦传媒檚. He also learned that they attend the Rock Steady boxing program run by Doug Pickard, a strong supporter of Parkinson乌鸦传媒檚 disease research and volunteer facilitator of the Oceanside Parkinson乌鸦传媒檚 Disease Support Group.
乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 all about exercise and how important it is to people with Parkinson乌鸦传媒檚, diabetes or various ailments,乌鸦传媒� said Pallot. 乌鸦传媒淓xercise is life extending. And that to me, means a lot especially if you乌鸦传媒檝e got Parkinson乌鸦传媒檚 or a debilitating disease. That乌鸦传媒檚 why I thought this is very worthwhile.乌鸦传媒�
Pallot said they made sure the club covered all the grounds before starting the program. It includes having liability insurance and also making it a prerequisite for participants to get clearance from their doctors to participate.
乌鸦传媒淥ur club has retired doctors who has helped us with the program as well as retired nurses,乌鸦传媒� said Pallot. 乌鸦传媒淭hey were present during the initial lessons to observe and make sure we乌鸦传媒檙e not working them hard, which we certainly didn乌鸦传媒檛. They also made sure we gave them ample rest breaks.乌鸦传媒�
Pallot said one of his objectives is to help the participants reach a level where they can join OPC Pickleball Club or any other club and be able to play as a novice player.
Maire said she is truly grateful for the community initiatives that helps people like her husband Duncan fight Parkinson乌鸦传媒檚.
乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 just amazing what they do and how they乌鸦传媒檙e impacting the lives of people with Parkinson乌鸦传媒檚,乌鸦传媒� said Maire. 乌鸦传媒淭he social engagement. They talk about the various symptoms they乌鸦传媒檈 experiencing everyday. They watch each other, care for one another and encourage each other. They know, that they乌鸦传媒檝e got to push hard to try and stay mobile.乌鸦传媒�
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