ANNISTON, AL — Regional Medical Center (RMC) and the RMC Foundation will cap Parkinson’s Awareness Month with a community‑resource gathering on Tuesday, April 29, at 3:30 p.m. in the Tyler Center’s first‑floor education classroom. The free event is designed to link people living with Parkinson’s disease—and other neurological conditions—with the specialists, support groups and services that can help them maintain independence and quality of life.
Throughout the afternoon, guests can meet RMC’s neurology and rehabilitation teams, consult area support‑group leaders and explore local programs that ease day‑to‑day challenges such as mobility, speech, home safety and caregiver stress. RMC clinicians will give short talks on the science behind two evidence‑based treatments the hospital now offers: LSVT BIG, which retrains large‑amplitude movements to improve gait and balance, and LSVT LOUD, an intensive speech‑therapy protocol that strengthens vocal projection and clarity.
“Parkinson’s doesn’t just affect the body—it affects how people feel about their independence,” said Emilee Hollingsworth, a physical‑therapy assistant certified in LSVT BIG. “When patients start moving with confidence and speaking up without hesitation, the change is transformative.”
Both therapies run four weeks, four days a week, and require physician referrals. Physical therapist Brittany Shiflett said early intervention delivers the best outcomes, but even late‑stage patients often make dramatic gains. “We’ve seen individuals arrive leaning on a cane and finish the program walking on their own,” she noted.
The April 29 forum reflects RMC’s whole‑person approach to neurological care, addressing not only motor symptoms but also the emotional and social hurdles that come with chronic disease. Hospital leaders say that commitment extends well beyond Parkinson’s Awareness Month.
Community members, patients and caregivers are welcome to drop in any time between 3:30 and 6 p.m. Parking is available in the adjacent deck. For details on the event or to inquire about therapy enrollment, call 256‑235‑8666 or visit RMC’s rehabilitation services webpage.
