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Dear Everyone, Recent experimental evidence from a study conducted with 96 non-institutionalized centenarians has uncovered four common longevity needs: 1. Optimism, thinking positive and trying harder every day to be a better person. 2. An ability to cope with loss, to get on with life and stay cheerful. 3. Engagement, being committed to something. 4. Regular participation in physical activity. I am using #4 to write my doctoral dissertation. This study will look at the effect of two types of exercise programs on balance in 20 persons with stage III PD. I have been doing pilot work with exercise for PD for almost two years. The results are that persons with PD can benefit greatly from exercise training. An increasing number of research data point toward a significant contribution of exercise to the lifequality of persons with PD. It is interesting to note that in "healthy" older adults high levels of strength are highly correlated with the ability to carry out activities of daily living with a high degree of autonomy and independence. Isn't this what we are all after??? Studies have also shown that persons with PD who are physically active outlive persons with PD who remain sedentary. I hope that I cqn stimulate some interest in the benefits of exercise and how to go about starting a program specifically tailored toward the needs of persons with Parkinson's disease. Please feel free to e-mail me. Looking forward to hearing from you, Mark Hirsch ([log in to unmask]) --