Lisa Fukuzato looked at her class in the dance studio of Plaza de la Raza Cultural Center in Los Angeles’ Lincoln Heights. Twelve students, between the ages of 57 and 89, all have high blood pressure. Most have difficulty with balance, movement and understanding.
The classes — known as Salud Pa’ Ti — are open to all seniors. Many come from outside the neighborhood. The initial goal was to provide a fitness program for elderly residents who were already familiar and comfortable with Plaza de la Raza. Giselle Petzinger, a researcher at Keck Medicine of USC, just across the railroad tracks from Plaza de la Raza, worked with the art school to create the program this year. Petzinger’s research focuses on Parkinson’s Disease, a brain disorder noticeable through a person’s uncontrolled movement, like shaking. Exercise is a key way to manage Parkinson’s, and in parts of California, Latinos are diagnosed with the disease at a rate higher than any other group.
