Lealman Exchange is home to a variety of tenant organizations who serve our community and beyond. Today, we are chatting with Kieran Gabel, Director of Community Health for YMCA Greater St. Petersburg.
Tell us a little about yourself and your organization: I oversee 9 evidence-based chronic disease prevention and reclaiming health programs at the YMCA and in south Pinellas County. Some of those include the National Diabetes Prevention Program, the YMCA’s Blood Pressure Monitoring program and our LIVESTRONG at the Y cancer survivor exercise program.
The programs I oversee that occur at the Lealman Exchange are the YMCA Total Parkinson’s and Mindful Movement exercise classes for Parkinson’s and our Senior exercise program called Silver Sneakers in the basketball gym.
Tuesdays 9 Am – Silver Sneakers – Senior exercise
Tuesdays 10 am Total Parkinson’s Exercise
Thursdays 9 am – Silver Sneakers – Senior exercise
Thursdays 10 am Total Parkinson’s Exercise
Thursdays 10 Am – Parkinson’s Care Supporter group
Thursdays 11 am – Mindful Movement (Adaptive Yoga) for Parkinson’s
Tell us who you serve and how: We serve community members who would benefit from health programs to help prevent disease or manage a chronic condition.
What drives your mission? Our Mission Statement: to put Judeo Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all.
Do you have an accomplishment you are particularly proud of you’d like to share? I’m so proud that in the last five and a half years we’ve been able to provide an effective exercise program and social support for people living with Parkinson’s and their families in the Lealman area. The Lealman gym facility is a perfect large space in a central location to work with sometimes over 40 participants at a time. It allows our staff to assist participants with fall prevention and large movements while moving around the gym.
What programs or opportunities are available through your organization to our Lealman neighbors? I would love to see more Lealman community members participate in our senior exercise classes at 9 Am on Tuesday and Thursday mornings.
To learn more about the YMCA at Lealman Exchange, visit https://www.stpeteymca.org/