What’s New?
Upcoming Events & Information
What’s New?
The Equal Healthcare Service part 1 & 2 recordings are now live!
Enjoy the recording of the Equal Healthcare Service Part 1 & Part 2, made possible by SEADA.
Gathering Strength speaks at the Kentucky Congress on SCI
On September 9, 2023, we were proud to have Elizabeth Fust address the Kentucky Congress on SCI about Equal Healthcare Services. Download the Resources below to learn more.
Asserting Your Rights to Equal Healthcare Services KCSCI 2023→
Many Thanks To Our Donors For A New Nustep
Gathering Strength held an online fundraiser earlier this year to replace an old and broken Nustep in Frazier Rehab Institute’s totally accessible Community Fitness and Wellness (CFW) gym.
Generous donors made it possible for Gathering Strength to purchase a $9,000 T6Max Nustep and place it in the CFW gym for use by people with a variety of disabling conditions. Gathering Strength’s Executive Director took it for a spin and loved how easy it is to transfer to the seat and its smooth operation. It is the only accessible exercise equipment where she can get cardiovascular exercise and simultaneously move her paralyzed legs.
The new Nustep has a fully swiveling and adjustable bariatric seat, lap and chest belts, leg stabilizers, gripping aids, and pre-set workouts. The CFW gym members are using it all the time. We’re so grateful for the donors who have helped to improve the health of people with disabilities by making this equipment available.
What’s New?
Changes to Louisville’s Accessible Parking Ordinance gives drivers more enforcement options.
Gathering Strength works on making accessible parking more available for people with disabilities in our community. See the WAVE 3 news story by clicking the button below. Changes to the Louisville, Ky Accessible Parking ordinance include:
- In addition to fines, the police and other enforcement officers now can tow a vehicle that is unlawfully parked in an accessible parking spot and access aisle.
- Property owners must include the words “No Parking” stenciled in the van-accessible access aisles or on a free standing sign.
- Property owners must make sure the painted lines of accessible parking spots are visible day and night. Failure to comply can lead to fines.
Cardiometabolic Changes After Spinal Cord Injury –
A Discussion
This was an online event on Tuesday, June 14, 2022, 5 pm – 7 pm Eastern Time.
See the recording of a discussion with two experts on cardiovascular and metabolic changes after spinal cord injury that lead to chronic conditions like heart disease, obesity, and diabetes, and how we can fight these changes and improve our health.
Key Takeaways:
Everyone with SCI shows improvement in fitness (strength and endurance) when they exercise.
As little as 20 minutes of aerobic exercise AND 3 sets of strength training exercises for major functioning muscle groups at moderate to vigorous intensity 2 days a week improves fitness.
People with SCI whose autonomic function has been spared (paras, incomplete tetras who can get heart rate up to 130 beats per minute) improve heart health with:
At least 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise 3 days a week will improve risk factors for heart disease.
People with higher SCI who have autonomic dysfunction (i.e., cannot get heart rate to 130 beats per minute) can improve heart health with exercising over the long-term.
Long term exercise appears to improve risk factors of heart disease. The problem of grant funded research is that it is usually only for short-term interventions. Study of long-term exercise for tetraplegics is warranted.
How improve obesity?
Exercise helps (150 minutes a week of moderate intensity) but exercise alone is not enough. Nutrition must be addressed too so we burn more calories than we take in.
Presenters:
Christopher West, Ph.D., University of British Columbia and ICORD.
David McMillan, Ph.D., University of Miami and the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis.
Takeaways continued:
Dysregulation of fat metabolism appears more prevalent among SCI survivors than glucose dysregulation. Both can be improved with:
Generally, 150 minutes a week of moderate intensity exercise—30-60 min 3 to 5 days a week or bouts of at least 3 10-min bouts 5 days.
Everyone with SCI, regardless of level, can improve glucose and fat metabolizing with:
Specifically, HIIT (high intensity interval training) and CRT (circuit resistance training) produce better responses during and AFTER exercise. 2 hours after HIIT or CRT, resting metabolism continues to be increased and there is more use of fat for paraplegics and tetraplegics.
