Kirk Gibson foundation kicks off yoga classes for people living with Parkinson's

Southfield — As a dedicated yogi of almost 30 years, Barbara Perry knew exactly what to do at the first Yoga Moves Parkinson’s adaptive yoga class Wednesday morning.

The session, designed to help people living with Parkinson's disease, looks a bit different from those typically offered at local studios. In this class, participants use props like chairs to help them move through modified versions of tree pose, downward facing dog and warrior pose. Three instructors walk around to help the 11 participants who signed up at Congregation Shaarey Zedek.

"Parkinson's is a movement disorder ... so the yoga encourages both static movement but also dynamic, flowing movement," said Mindy Eisenberg, the founder and director of Yoga Moves MS who teaches the class. "We know that with Parkinson's movement is medicine. So it helps balance, strength, flexibility, helping that rigidity, it can help with coordination, it helps with mood, it helps with cognition."

Eisenberg founded Yoga Moves MS 18 years ago but has been giving classes for people with Parkinson's disease since 2018. She received a grant from the Kirk Gibson Foundation for Parkinson's for the free classes for people with the disease from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. on Wednesdays.

Parkinson's is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the loss of dopamine-producing neurons in an area of the brain that is key for motor movements. Symptoms include tremors, often in the hands, slow movement, limb stiffness, and problems with gait and balance, according to the Parkinson's Foundation.

For Cameron Gibson, Kirk Gibson's youngest son, the program is personal. His father, a famous Detroit Tiger, was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2015. He works on brand development with his father's foundation.

"It's close to home," Gibson said. "I know a lot of these people now, I know a lot of people in the Parkinson's community, so it's like, I'm not only trying to do it for my own family but my Parkinson's community family."

Gibson described his father as one of the most active people he's ever seen, which has shown him how it helps people with Parkinson's feel better mentally and physically.

"We've seen how being physical and working out and working your mind and working your body. They help kind of slow down those Parkinson's symptoms," Gibson said.

Eisenberg said it's not unusual for some with Parkinson's to be hesitant about attending class for the first time. She encouraged them to bring a friend or partner. She reassured students they can't be bad at yoga.

"Dip your toes in the water," Eisenberg said. "... I know you won't be sorry, and you will definitely feel better and you will be around people who have a common understanding."

Perry, 70, of Southfield has been living with Parkinson's for about 20 years and participates in several exercise classes, ranging from dance to yoga, to stay active.

"It helps with everything — mentally, physically. It's good for stretching and relaxing because Parkinson's is really a tough disease," Perry said. "It's really important for me just to keep moving and keep the social part of it. It can get kind of isolating."

hmackay@detroitnews.com