Empower people with physically disabling conditions to maintain and improve their health and wellness by ensuring access to health-promoting physical activity, and by advancing education, research, and public policy that enhance their health and wellness.
People with disabilities are the largest minority group in the U.S., making up 27.2% of the population of the United States (according to Census Bureau 2014 report on prevalence using Social Security data). People with “severe disability” make up 17.6%, and people with upper and lower extremity “functional limitations” make up 15.4%, of the population.
Each of us is only one car accident, one slip and fall, one faulty blood vessel, one diagnosis away from a chronic disabling condition.
People with disabling conditions, such as spinal cord injuries and strokes, are more susceptible to chronic secondary health conditions than the general population–especially cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and diabetes–and assuring accessible health and wellness resources, including physical activity and exercise, can meaningfully empower, improve, and even save, lives.
Online Health and Wellness Activities
GS is now offering health and wellness classes live on Zoom. Recordings of some classes will be posted periodically on our “Classes” page. By clicking “Classes” on the menu, or button below, you will find information about our upcoming classes, including a wheelchair-based cardiovascular exercise class starting the first week of December, as well as videos of our first online yoga class: Beginner Chair Yoga for Core Strength, Better Breathing, and Deeper Sleep. These classes are made possible by a grant from the University of Kentucky Human Development Institute’s Wellness Edge Project.
This project is made possible by a Rapid Response Grant from the Disability Inclusion Fund–a donor collaborative housed at Borealis Philanthropy.
With this pilot project GS hopes to increase inclusion, decrease isolation, and improve health and wellness of people with physically disabling conditions, who live on low incomes, especially during the Covid-19 crisis, by lowering barriers to internet access so they can participate in Gathering Strength’s (now online) health and wellness activities as well as other vital online community resources. For information on GS’s online classes click on “Classes” in the menu above.
Online Forum on Physical Activity After Stroke And Spinal Cord Injury
Live on Zoom
Saturday, October 17, 2020
Many thanks to everyone who participated in this event and made it a resounding success, including our speakers Sandra Billinger, PT, Ph.D, FAHA from the University of Kansas, and Christopher West, Ph.D from the University of British Columbia, Canada.
The project described was supported by Grant Number 90PRRC0001-01-00 from the Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the Wellness Edge staff and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Administration for Community Living Or HHS
Adapted Chair Yoga
Need to relax while stuck at home? Here’s a video of an adapted, chair yoga class. It is very gentle, beginner, chair yoga that can be done by people with disabling conditions like spinal cord injury and stroke. Click the button below to see the video.
Gathering Strength Inc., helps people with disabling conditions, such as spinal cord injury and stroke, to engage in therapeutic physical activity. Gathering Strength collaborates with Frazier Rehab Institute’s Community Fitness and Wellness program in Louisville, Ky to provide a wide variety of accessible exercise opportunitites.
Click on a picture, or visit the “Get Inspired” page, to read more and see videos of people engaging in therapeutic exercise.
Resources below include some helpful advice, interesting research, and practical guidelines on how to maintain and improve fitness and wellness while living with a disabling condition, such as spinal cord injury or stroke. (We do not specifically endorse or affirm any third-party’s information; please use your own, best judgment in evaluating it.)
Our Mission
The mission of Gathering Strength, Inc. is to:
Empower people with physically disabling conditions to maintain and improve their health and wellness by ensuring access to health-promoting physical activity, and by advancing education, research, and public policy that enhance their health and wellness.
Why it Matters
Online Health and Wellness Activities
GS is now offering health and wellness classes live on Zoom. Recordings of some classes will be posted periodically on our “Classes” page. By clicking “Classes” on the menu, or button below, you will find information about our upcoming classes, including a wheelchair-based cardiovascular exercise class starting the first week of December, as well as videos of our first online yoga class: Beginner Chair Yoga for Core Strength, Better Breathing, and Deeper Sleep. These classes are made possible by a grant from the University of Kentucky Human Development Institute’s Wellness Edge Project.
Inclusive Digital Access Pilot Project
This project is made possible by a Rapid Response Grant from the Disability Inclusion Fund–a donor collaborative housed at Borealis Philanthropy.
With this pilot project GS hopes to increase inclusion, decrease isolation, and improve health and wellness of people with physically disabling conditions, who live on low incomes, especially during the Covid-19 crisis, by lowering barriers to internet access so they can participate in Gathering Strength’s (now online) health and wellness activities as well as other vital online community resources.
For information on GS’s online classes click on “Classes” in the menu above.
Online Forum on Physical Activity After Stroke And Spinal Cord Injury
The project described was supported by Grant Number 90PRRC0001-01-00 from the Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the Wellness Edge staff and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Administration for Community Living Or HHS
Adapted Chair Yoga
Need to relax while stuck at home? Here’s a video of an adapted, chair yoga class. It is very gentle, beginner, chair yoga that can be done by people with disabling conditions like spinal cord injury and stroke.
Click the button below to see the video.
Get Inspired
Gathering Strength Inc., helps people with disabling conditions, such as spinal cord injury and stroke, to engage in therapeutic physical activity. Gathering Strength collaborates with Frazier Rehab Institute’s Community Fitness and Wellness program in Louisville, Ky to provide a wide variety of accessible exercise opportunitites.
Click on a picture, or visit the “Get Inspired” page, to read more and see videos of people engaging in therapeutic exercise.
Herb, T-6 Spinal Cord Injury
Jenny, C6-7 spinal cord injury
Terrell, T10 spinal cord injury
Helpful Information
Resources below include some helpful advice, interesting research, and practical guidelines on how to maintain and improve fitness and wellness while living with a disabling condition, such as spinal cord injury or stroke. (We do not specifically endorse or affirm any third-party’s information; please use your own, best judgment in evaluating it.)
Therapeutic Exercise Facilities:
Nutrition, Stress Reduction, Etc.
Peer Support:
Caregiver support:
Exercise Guidelines:
Exercise Videos: