Inside the Ascend Parkinson’s & Cognitive Wellness Class
- Bret Huotari
- 22 hours ago
- 2 min read
Ascend’s Parkinson’s & Cognitive Wellness Class transforms live music into a neuroscience-based training tool for movement, cognition, and confidence. Each 30-minute session blends rhythmic boxing, breath control, and fine-motor coordination into an evidence-based format designed for individuals living with Parkinson’s disease or cognitive decline.
Music as a Motor Cue
Every session is powered by live acoustic guitar, allowing rhythm and tempo to evolve in real time. Participants mirror tapping patterns — side-to-side, front-to-back, and syncopated rhythms that challenge reaction and adaptability.
This approach is rooted in Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation (RAS), a method developed by Dr. Michael Thaut and the Center for Biomedical Research in Music. RAS uses rhythmic cues to activate the brain’s motor centers, improving timing, balance, and coordination.
Through this process, rhythm becomes a training partner — restoring the natural connection between sound, movement, and attention.
Breath and Voice in Motion
After each rhythmic round, the guitar slows into an ascending scale. Participants raise their arms as they inhale, following the music’s rise, pause briefly at the top, then exhale as the melody descends.
Some add gentle vocalizations or hums — techniques drawn from LSVT LOUD, a research-based speech program from the University of Colorado Boulder.These auditory exhales strengthen breath support, vocal projection, and diaphragmatic control — vital skills often diminished by Parkinson’s.
What begins as a breathing exercise becomes rhythmic biofeedback — music guiding the lungs, and the lungs guiding awareness. Many of the Residents sing as well creating even better exercise for the muscles of the diaphragm.
Precision and Cognitive Control
The class transitions into fine-motor coordination. Participants use tennis balls for dexterity drills — passing between hands, catching gentle tosses, and lifting fingers in response to quick auditory cues.
This sequence engages dual-task processing, forcing the brain to manage coordination and cognition simultaneously. It’s movement, memory, and attention trained in one continuous loop — a proven model for maintaining functional independence and neuroplasticity.
The Outcome: Measurable and Meaningful
Ascend’s class is where music meets movement, and therapy meets joy. Each component — rhythm, breath, and dexterity — is rooted in research but delivered through genuine engagement.
The results speak for themselves:
Improved timing, focus, and coordination
Enhanced breathing and vocal strength
Increased participation, confidence, and retention
Accessible for both seated and standing participants, this program adapts across all care levels while maintaining clinical credibility and measurable outcomes.
Because when rhythm drives movement, movement drives change.
The Point: Redefining Wellness in Senior Living
The real goal of Ascend’s Parkinson’s & Cognitive Wellness Program goes beyond fitness. It’s about redefining how senior living communities approach wellness — not as a scheduled activity, but as a strategic advantage.
When residents engage, families notice.When families notice, communities grow. And when wellness becomes a pillar of identity, it transforms the entire culture of care.
This is the future of senior wellness — evidence-based, emotionally engaging, and operationally valuable. It’s where science and humanity meet in perfect rhythm.
That’s the Ascend difference.
Written by:

Bret Huotari, Founder & Principal Ascend Performance Training – Denver, CO