MOVE!ment is for Everyone
If you're in Mount Pleasant near the Commission on Aging, you may hear the noises of people stomping, laughing, clapping or people working hard. What you're hearing is the MOVE! For Health Class. Here, students lead a movement and exercise class for people with Parkinson's Disease, other neurological disorders or people who just want to move more.
Central Michigan University second-year doctoral student Kabryni Bruening, right, throws a scarf up with participant Charles, left, during a MOVE! For Health class at the Commission on Aging, 2200 S. Lincoln Rd., Mount Pleasant, Michigan, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025.
Central Michigan University second-year physical therapy doctoral student Alexis Pultorak leads the MOVE! For Health class in a cool-down at the Commission on Aging, 2200 S. Lincoln Rd., Mount Pleasant, Michigan, Thursday, March 20, 2025.
MOVE! is run entirely by second-year physical therapy doctoral students and physical therapy assistant professor Dr. Jamie Haines. First-year and other second-year physical therapy students may volunteer, and anyone in the Mid-Michigan community is welcome to join.
Haines said starting the class was difficult since it was a new thing for her. Creating the class included mentoring several students, developing plans and recruiting volunteers.
Now that the class has been going for years, the old student leaders mentor and teach the new student leaders to make the transitions each year smoother. Haines described it as a wheel turning each year.
"It's really been a joy to watch not only students develop technical skills and clinical skills, but also leadership skills and mentorship skills between the classes," Haines said.
Central Michigan University second-year physical therapy doctoral student and MOVE! volunteer coordinator Megan Lasceski said each February, the new MOVE! board is interviewed and decided for the following Fall. Lasceski and the current board will move to their clinicals for their third year to get real-world experience in their chosen fields.
Although MOVE! originally started only for individuals with Parkinson's Disease, it has since opened up to anyone.
"Movement is beneficial for everyone, we just have to be more careful with individuals who have Multiple Sclerosis," Lasceski said.
Each MOVE! board member is assigned to one high fall risk participant in the class. Lasceski's participant, Jen, has Multiple Sclerosis.
“One of the biggest things she has taught me has been her perseverance," Lasceski said. "She is one of the most kind and positive people you'll ever meet."
The CMU students who are part of the MOVE! board frequently talk about how much they have learned from one another, as well as the participants with Parkinson's Disease. CMU second-year physical therapy doctoral student and MOVE! participant expert Nolan Coon works with MOVE! participant Jamie, who had a stroke.
“They’re some of the most motivated people I’ve ever met and their mentality is so strong,” Coon said. “It has been a blessing to work with those people."
Coon said working with his participant has helped him manage his stress while working at MOVE!. He said working with Jamie has made him a better clinician.
The MOVE! board said they have learned several things from this class, but they haven't always been from all positive experiences. CMU second-year physical therapy doctoral student and MOVE! participant outreach coordinator shared an experience he had with a high-fall risk participant. Tenerife was with a participant, and he lost his balance and would have fallen had Julian not been there intensely guarding him.
“That scare and that shock,” Tenerife said. “That type of stuff puts into perspective, no matter how safe you are, you really aren’t prepared until you get in that scenario."
Central Michigan University second-year physical therapy doctoral student Julian Tenerife leads the MOVE! For Health class warm-up at the Commission on Aging, 2200 S. Lincoln Rd., Mount Pleasant, Michigan, Thursday, March 20, 2025.
Exercise is Medicine
The MOVE! board said exercise is one of the most effective things in helping the symptoms of Parkinson's Disease and other neurological disorders.
Central Michigan University second-year physical therapy doctoral student and MOVE! volunteer coordinator Allison Summers discussed how every person with Parkinson's is different, but movement is always helpful.
"Every person has different symptoms that affect their lives, and exercise is truly the best medicine for them," Summers said. "Get them moving!"
Several of the MOVE! board members, including Dr. Jamie Haines, described movement as medicine; movement is good for the physical symptoms as well as their mental health. Haines said movement brings a community for people with neurological disorders and helps them know they are not alone.
Getting Recognized
Despite being around for almost eight years now, MOVE! For Health has not gotten much public recognition. Dr. Jamie Haines talked about how a news team came once for a few minutes when the class was first created, but that was it.
This changed on Thursday, March 20, 2025, when the 16th President of Central Michigan University, Neil MacKinnon, visited their class.
"It reminds me of all the hard work you do, and all the students do," Haines said to the MOVE! class when MacKinnon came. "I'm just so proud."
MacKinnon has a background in health and fitness through his PhD in pharmacy health care administration from the University of Florida, Gainesville, so the MOVE! board thought he would be a good person to come to the class and enjoy it.
Julian Tenerife was the person behind getting MacKinnon to come to class. Tenerife and CMU second-year physical therapy doctoral student and MOVE! high intensity exercise specialist Jarred Kleitch were at the Student Activity Center, playing pickleball, at the same time as MacKinnon.
"We started talking to him and in that instance, it felt like it was the perfect opportunity to ask him," Tenerife said. "He was on board with it."
Tenerife and MacKinnon coordinated on when he could come. MacKinnon talked to the participants and MOVE! board while there, and participated in some of the warm-up and activities.
"For him to come see everything that we're about is a lot and it looked like he had a lot of fun." Tenerife said. "It meant the whole world to me and the whole MOVE! board."
Central Michigan University second-year physical therapy doctoral student Julian Tenerife, right, leads the MOVE! For Health class warm-up with CMU 16th President Neil MacKinnon, left, at the Commission on Aging, 2200 S. Lincoln Rd., Mount Pleasant, Michigan, Thursday, March 20, 2025.
Central Michigan University 16th President, Neil MacKinnon, joins along with the warm-up during the MOVE! For Health class at the Commission on Aging, 2200 S. Lincoln Rd., Mount Pleasant, Michigan, Thursday, March 20, 2025.
