Adviser Winter 2019-20 LeadingAge New York Adviser LeadingAge NewYork Winter 2019-20 | Page 17

Community Wellness Partners ...
(Continued from page 15)
Heading into 2020, Community Wellness Partners plans to complement its
existing services – and continue to make an impact in the lives of Parkinson’s
patients – with the introduction of an innovative cycling program, Pedaling
for Parkinson’s. First brought to the organization’s attention by the spouse of
an independent living resident with Parkinson’s, Pedaling for Parkinson’s is
a form of forced exercise on stationary bikes that is designed to encourage
patients to push the limits of their physical capabilities in order to achieve
improved mobility and health. The program
will be housed at the Wellness Center on the
“We have always considered ourselves fortunate to
Presbyterian Homes & Services campus, with
be viewed as a leader in providing resources and
an initial equipment inventory of 10 stationary
bikes, two Theracycle bikes and individual
advancements in combating Parkinson’s disease.”
heart monitors, as well as a Smart TV, iPad,
Mike Sweeney, president and CEO
DVD player and speakers. Renovations on the
Community Wellness Partners
Wellness Center are slated to begin in January,
with classes, to be facilitated by a trained spin
instructor, expected to kick off in the spring.
“We have always considered ourselves fortunate to be viewed as a leader in
providing resources and advancements in combating Parkinson’s disease,” said
Mike Sweeney, president and CEO of Community Wellness Partners. “We
fully realize that with that leadership comes the responsibility to maintain
delivery of high-quality, cutting-edge services. I feel we have done an
exemplary job in doing just that for Parkinson’s patients.”
Among the family members, friends and other individuals with an interest in
Parkinson’s in the Community Wellness Partners network, the enthusiasm for
the Pedaling for Parkinson’s program was palpable. With their assistance, as
well as a match from the Mele Family Fund of The Community Foundation
of Herkimer & Oneida Counties, the organization was able to raise more
than $128,000 for the project over a five-month period. For Lenora D’Apice,
vice president of development and marketing, this level of mobilization was
an early sign that the concept had lit a spark in the community – and could
evolve from a simple idea brought to the organization’s development office
into a potentially life-changing service for Parkinson’s patients.
“When you find people who are passionate about something, they’re
going to find a way to make it happen,” said D’Apice. “We’re the ones who
communicate it to the public and get everybody involved, but it’s with the
people who have the passion and the drive – in this case, the spouse of
someone who has Parkinson’s – where you see the ignite take place.”
For more information on the Pedaling for Parkinson’s program or any of
Community Wellness Partners’ related services, contact Lenora D’Apice at
315-235-7110.
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