ATRA SoCal : 2026 Session Description

Rural and small-city residents with Parkinson's disease face compounding barriers to specialized rehabilitation, accelerating physical decline and isolation. This session presents findings from a 12-week APDA-funded community-based Recreational Therapy balance training program delivered to ten older adults (3 males, 7 females; Mean Age=69.6) in resource-limited Oklahoma settings. Participants showed large improvements in gait velocity, postural stability (Biodex Z-Score), fear of falling, anxiety, social engagement, and quality of life, with strong correlations between mobility gains and psychosocial outcomes. Attendees will gain a replicable framework for designing accessible RT balance interventions that address health disparities, alongside practical guidance on outcome measurement, community partnership development, and translating research into sustainable clinical practice for underserved PD populations

1. Describe the clinical rationale and evidence base for community-based Recreational Therapy balance training as an intervention for individuals with Parkinson's disease residing in rural or underserved settings. 2. Identify three validated outcome measures (Gait Velocity, Biodex Balance Z-Score, PDQ-39) used to evaluate physical and psychosocial change in PD populations, and interpret effect sizes to guide clinical decision-making. 3. Apply a replicable 12-week RT balance training protocol within their own practice setting, including session structure, progression strategies, and partnership models with communitis for reaching underserved PD patients.

Community
Older Adults
Physical Rehabilitation and Medicine
Research

Students
New Graduates/New Professionals
Educators/Researchers