(Courtesy of Jewish Home) The Kaplen JCC on the Palisades and the Jewish Home Family have launched a collaboration to better serve communities in the region that would benefit from specialized wellness initiatives and therapies.
The first program that the two local nonprofits will partner on is the opening of a Rock Steady Boxing branch at the JCC that uses boxing techniques, big movements, voice exercises and other modalities to help those living with Parkinson’s disease stave off the effects of the neurological movement disorder. Today, research studies indicate that exercise may have a positive impact in management of Parkinson’s symptoms and the most effective form is “forced intense exercise” or pushing the body beyond perceived limitations. Rock Steady Boxing appears to be particularly helpful for people with Parkinson’s because it combines non-contact physical activity with things like repetition, challenges and dual-tasking, which appear to help maintain old connections and create new ones in the brain.
Jordan Shenker, the Kaplen JCC on the Palisades CEO, shares, “We are excited to be partnering with Jewish Home Family to be able to further serve our community. Being able to provide this wellness opportunity to those with Parkinson’s disease in a community setting is the core of who we are and why we exist. We look forward to seeing the Rock Steady Boxing program continue to flourish at our JCC.”
“The Jewish Home Family has been developing specialized services for individuals with Parkinson’s disease for the last two years, building a center that has achieved national recognition,” said Carol Silver Elliott, Jewish Home Family president and CEO. “We are thrilled to be partnering with the JCC to take these services even further into the community. We believe that this partnership has great potential to benefit individuals with Parkinson’s and sets the stage for other future collaborations.”
The Jewish Home Family operates elder care facilities in northern New Jersey as well as home and community services in Bergen and Rockland counties. For more than a century, the Jewish Home has served the community and seeks to be the provider of choice for the care of older adults with residential services, rehabilitation and home and community-based services. The Jewish Home Family continues to be the first choice for hospitals and other partners, employees, volunteers and community philanthropy.
The Jewish Home Family’s mission is to make aging a vital and meaningful experience through understanding and meeting the unique needs of each individual, providing care and services rooted in our tradition of Jewish values.
Deeply rooted in Jewish values and tradition, the Kaplen JCC on the Palisades is a vibrant home for the Jewish people that welcomes all and cultivates the social, intellectual, physical and spiritual well-being of the entire community. Serving as a home away from home for all who pass through its doors, the 185,000-square-foot building, plus acres of outside grounds, features two state-of-the-art health and recreational facilities, an indoor and outdoor aquatics center, group exercise, spin and Pilates studios, two gymnasiums, tennis and racquet courts, indoor track, a luxurious spa, multiple playgrounds and fields and so much more. The JCC also prides itself on excellent year-round programming for senior adults, which includes transportation services, hot meals, concerts, trips, holiday celebrations, wellness programs, free exercise classes, lectures and more. The JCC is located at 411 E. Clinton Ave., Tenafly, New Jersey, and can be reached at 201-569-7900 or online at www.jccotp.org.�
For more information on the partnership between the Jewish Home and the JCC, or to sign up for Rock Steady Boxing, email [email protected].
