Auburn alum training Boston Red Sox pitchers

Eva Litkenhous, a freshman at Lee-Scott Academy, is Miss Autauga County Fair’s Teen and an outspoken supporter of Parkinson’s disease research, while Jaimie Roper is an associate professor in Auburn University’s School of Kinesiology and director of the Locomotor and Movement Control Lab. The unlikely duo bonded over their mutual passion for helping individuals with Parkinson’s disease find creative ways to age better.

“Parkinson’s disease has touched my life because my grandmother had it,” Litkenhous said. “Instead of letting it be something that only caused fear or sadness, I chose to turn it into action. That’s why I created my platform, the ABCs of Parkinson’s Disease – Body and Mind Exercises for Active Aging. The A is for aerobics, the B is for balance, the C is for cognition, and the S is for strength and stretching. Through these activities, I work to help individuals stay active, confident and connected.”

Roper’s passion is helping people thrive and build resilience through movement across their entire lifespan, and in research, that has translated to a focus on understanding the fundamental mechanisms of walking, balance, and neural control that enable people to adapt and remain resilient as they age.

“I believe movement is a birthright that everyone deserves to claim, regardless of age or condition,” Roper said. “My work with older adults and those with movement disorders like essential tremor and Parkinson’s disease has shown me that what conventional science often labels as ‘dysfunction’ can actually represent brilliant adaptation.”

When Roper learned about Litkenhous’s platform, she was eager to connect because she knows how important it is to engage the next generation in this work.

“I love what Eva is doing,” she said. “We need more young people who are interested in this and doing this work. By mentoring young scientists to see movement through a lens of adaptation and resilience, we’re creating a legacy that will transform how movement science approaches human movement.”

When Litkenhous developed the ABCs of Parkinson’s program, she developed it with all types of the disease in mind.

“I wanted something that everyone with Parkinson’s disease could use,” she said. “I like to lead exercise classes at nursing homes and support groups and get really involved how I can.”

For her, movement is personal. She is a dancer, and dance is her voice. She says that’s where she’s learned discipline, resilience and that movement can not only help the body but the mind and spirit, too.

“I believe my age does not limit my impact,” she said. “I compete in Miss Alabama Teen to prove that when passion meets purpose, real change can happen.”

During a recent visit to the Locomotor and Movement Control Lab, Litkenhous learned about standing balance versus walking balance, and how research around movement is a better predictor for how long a person will live, their quality of life and how often they will fall.

“All of those things matter,” Roper said. “We’re trying to keep the holistic picture. We’re big believers in balance is important but also the cognitive piece, too. Almost all of our protocols involve some type of brain game, such as dual tasks with walking where a patient is asked to walk while naming off items they might purchase in the produce section of the grocery store. Cognitive work needs to be done while you’re moving because falls happen when a person is moving.”

Litkenhous is sharing the program she developed through videos on Instagram, and while she knows her target population may not be on Instagram, she hopes their grandchildren might be. She says the grandchildren are the ones who can encourage and motivate grandparents to participate in her exercises.

Roper agreed, citing recent studies showing how important grandchildren are in their grandparents’ lives.

“People don’t just want to live to be 100, they want to enjoy life. To do that, they need a good quality of life and grandchildren help them stay more active,” Roper said.