Community exercise class for Parkinson's Disease

Physical activity is a key intervention used to reduce the healthcare costs and the negative consequences of Parkinson Disease (PD) by improving walking and balance and reducing the number of falls. However, not all exercise classes provide the same results for people with PD. Specific exercises designed to target the features of PD have shown greater outcomes than generic physical activity. The exercise principles include high-intensity (size and speed) movement, task repetition, rhythmical rocking, mental imagery, cognitive strategies, treadmill walking, and making use of internal and external cues. Collectively these PD-specific exercises can be designed to be run in exercise groups. Structured exercise groups also include social interaction that is known to improve depression and apathy, both of which are features common in people with PD. This study will compare the effect of specific, long-term community-based exercise class on balance, walking, quality of life, and mood compare to self-directed exercise. Investigators anticipate that participants from the community-based, long-term intervention will show better improvements in balance and walking compare to participants that are self-directing their activities.