Kelley, John - Golfers with Parkinson's Program

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Property: John Kelley Golf

Location: Arlington, WA

Program Contact: John Kelley

Contact Phone/Email: 425-610-6412, jk@johnkelleygolf.com

Name of PD Program: Golfers with Parkinson's Program

Type of PD Program: Other

Details of Program

Goals of Program:

  • Enable local GWP's (Golfers with Parkinson's) to play more golf more often, and longer into the progression of the disease.
  • Entice local GWP's to exercise by way of participation in the GWPP (Golfers with Parkinson's Program) at John Kelley Golf Facility.
  • Provide a fun, supportive, golf-centered community and resource for GWP's.

Program Design:

  • The GWPP is a series of intense golf exercise clinics, appropriately developed for GWP's. The program was created to optimize health and wellness for GWP's and their general/overall involvement in the golfing community.
  • The groundwork for our program is a collaboration of applied fundamentals of PWR!Moves® (Parkinson's Wellness Recovery) and teaching concepts of John Kelley Golf.
  • PWR!® is a comprehensive, neuroplasticity-principled approach to exercise, designed to counteract the inactivity, motor deterioration, and symptoms of PD (Parkinson's Disease). Exercise is a physiological tool that promotes brain health, repair, adaptation, and behavioral recovery from the inside.
  • Tasks are selected and modeled to satisfy at least one of four PWR!Moves® (posture, trunk rotation, transition, and weight shifting).
  • These movements can also be critical to the efficacy of the golf swing and are typically the core of golf exercise programs.
  • Also included are novel, unpredictable tasks, complex environments, quick decision making, and dual task conditions to challenge the GWP.
  • John Kelley, PGA, demonstrates innovative golf instruction, addressing areas such as: spine angle, swing plane, pre-shot routine, internal­external focus, and TPI screening.
  • The GWPP is very much about exercise and golf instruction, but it's also about empowerment, building community, and improving quality of life.

A Yamaha Grant was used to help pay for Marketing, Equipment Acquisition, Medical Consultants and TPI Certified Trainers.

Results of Program

At this time, we don't base the success of the program by counting the number people we run through the door. Instead, we see the results are measured in the long term affects we have or can have on the slowing of the progression of Parkinson's disease in our clients. This evidence will not be seen or able to be seen for some time in the future. What we can say is, we are continuing to grow in the size and exposure of our program and looking forward to helping more GWP this year than we did last year.

As "The GWPP" continues to grow, we continue to see more interest and exposure for our program. We never set out to make money with this endeavor. Our goal is to give the GWP community an oppo1tunity to play and/or continue to play the game they love. On this factor alone, we consider "The GWPP" to have had a positive impact for John Kelley Golf.

Recommendations

John Kelley Golf has found many rewards in working with the PWP (People with Parkinson's) community. Our hope and goals are the continued growth of our program, we hope to bring it to national attention, with the involvement of other professionals, sections and the national office of the PGA.

When it comes to recommending the creation of a program like the GWPP. There-re many factors that must be considered. First and foremost is the safety of the clients and the educational back ground required to attend the PWR program, which we believe to be the "Key Stone" of the program. It will also require the involvement of your local Parkinson's community regarding help with the number of volunteers needed to conduct each clinic.

We have found that there are many individuals in every community that are already involved with the PWP community and that would welcome the opportunity to help with a program like "The GWPP". John Kelley Golf is also available to help with any structure or development questions that any PGA Professional's may have, please feel free to contact us at any time with questions.

It is always an honor to work with people that have been challenged in life by something out of their control. The biggest thing I have learned from this experience is ... all they want to do is hit the ball and watch it fly! Just like you.