Northern Arizona University (NAU) is preparing graduate students to become the licensed physical therapists of the future. Dr. Matthew Ford, professor and chair of the Department of Physical Therapy and Athletic Training in the College of Health and Human Services at NAU, is leading a collaboration between NAU and Northern Arizona Healthcare to improve the lives of People with Parkinson’s (PWP).

With a Foundation grant, a community-based exercise program was established for a cohort of 50 PWP to study the effectiveness of exercise on symptom management, motor function, balance, and overall well-being. The project fills a gap in Northern Arizona where community-based exercise programs for PWP are lacking but in high demand.

With a grant from the Foundation, Dr. Ford notes, “The funding supported personnel and equipment that helped us establish a comprehensive program for PWP. We were able to purchase real-time exercise monitors to capture how well participants were doing with the exercise programs. The next step is to build this program out further, increasing the number of participants we can serve and services we can provide for PWP, to ultimately improve health outcomes and reduce healthcare costs.”

Visit the Northern Arizona University Foundation website 