Patricia Pahmeier of Myrtle Beach was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2020. Over the next few years, she maintained her health through independent exercise. Then she found the YMCA of Coastal Carolina’s Power Thru Parkinson’s program.
“It gives us hope,” Pahmeier wrote in a letter to Tricia Harrison, director of the YMCA’s healthy living program.
Power Thru Parkinson’s is an hour-long group exercise class for people living with Parkinson’s, Parkinson’s-like issues or movement disorders. Parkinson’s is a chronic neurological disorder characterized by a variety of symptoms such as muscle tremors, difficulty walking (freezing gait), and slurred speech.

Progression of the disease can be slowed by exercise, which makes Power Thru Parkinson’s a great way for people with the condition to help maintain their health and delay the onset of more severe symptoms.
“Exercise is important for everyone, but it’s particularly important for people with Parkinson’s,” says Tidelands Health neurologist Dr. Scott Callaghan, who offers care at Tidelands Health Neurosciences in Murrells Inlet. “Regular exercise can make a big difference in physical and cognitive function.”

Each class follows a circuit-style program that moves participants through 10 to 12 stations designed to work on strength, balance and neuromotor training, as well as cardiovascular exercise and stretching. Cognitive exercises are also included to help guard against the mental decline that can come with Parkinson’s over time.
“Exercise is crucial for cognitive health but also for proprioception, or the mind-body connection,” Harrison says.
Until recently, the program was offered exclusively at Tidelands Health Pawleys Family YMCA. But success there prompted organizers to expand to the Claire Chapin Epps Family YMCA in Myrtle Beach.

Tidelands Health is the exclusive health system partner of the YMCA of Coastal Carolina, including Claire Chapin Epps Family YMCA in Myrtle Beach, Tidelands Health Pawleys Family YMCA and Tidelands Health Georgetown Family YMCA. Together, the two organizations are providing the community with access to a broad variety of services and programs to improve health and wellness.

Power Thru Parkinson’s is designed to reinforce the nerve-muscle connection that is crucial to combating the disease’s symptoms. The program focuses on functional training – having participants practice movements to accomplish everyday activities such as picking up small objects, which reinforces fine motor skills.
Pahmeier and others who take part in Power Thru Parkinson’s say the program has been a major benefit.
“Parkinson’s is an overwhelming disease as it attacks every part of the body,” Pahmeier wrote in her letter. “I am so grateful that the YMCA is offering this.”
Harrison says Power Thru Parkinson’s aims to help people overcome some of the hurdles that come with the diagnosis.
“We want to encourage people with the disease to get up and moving,” she says. “For people with Parkinson’s, exercise can make a tremendous difference in their quality of life.
“Plus, it’s great to see the bonds that are created between the people who participate. They understand firsthand what each other is going through, so you get this unique support among the group.”