City of Jackson Recreation & Parks Department Receives Supporting Healthy Aging Through Parks & Recreation (SHAPR) Grant
Grant provided by the National Recreation and Park Association with funding support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
JACKSON, Tenn. – City of Jackson Recreation and Parks Department staff soon will be offering people of all ages a new way to stay fit. Thanks to a grant provided by the National Recreation and Park Association {NRPA) with funding support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), JRPD will offer the Walk With Ease {WWE) program to the Jackson Madison County community.
City of Jackson Recreation and Parks Department is one of 22 park and recreation agencies across the country to receive the WWE instructor-training grant. As an awardee of this grant, JRPD is now a member of NRPA’s community of practice along with 47 other park and recreation communities. The community of practice will be focused on the equitable dissemination and implementation of evidence-based programs, like WWE.
Park and recreation professionals at JRPD have long been champions of incorporating health and wellness programs into the community. The WWE program, developed by the Arthritis Foundation, is another tool these professionals can use to help residents. The program is scientifically proven to help reduce pain and stiffness associated with arthritis, but offers benefits for people managing other chronic conditions. Studies by the Thurston Arthritis Research Center and the Institute on Aging at the University of North Carolina have shown that WWE contributes to reduced pain, increased balance and strength, increased levels of physical activity and improved overall health.
Together, NRPA and the CDC aim to reach more people living with arthritis and other chronic conditions to improve their levels of physical activity and quality of life through this trusted and measurable program administered by local parks and recreation.
“Six in 10 adults in the United States suffer from one or more chronic conditions like arthritis, including people who live right here in Jackson,” said Whitney Billingsley. “This grant from NRPA and the CDC allows us to help the older adults in our community and adds a new way for Jackson Madison County residents to achieve their health and wellness goals.”
The programs provided by Jackson Recreation and Parks Department will be offered three times per week for six weeks by certified and trained instructors. The classes are ideally suited for anyone that is interested in a low-impact exercise program in their local community, especially those looking to manage their chronic condition. The program is scheduled to begin 9 a.m., February 6, 2023.
For more information, visit Jackson, TN Parks on Facebook.
