Each month, Dr. Rush invites you to slow down, breathe, and reconnect with yourself and your Parkinson’s community through a guided mindfulness practice. Together, we’ll explore simple ways to ground the body, calm the mind, and cultivate compassion and clarity that you can carry into your week.
Whether you’re new to mindfulness or a returning participant, these sessions are designed to be inclusive, supportive, and accessible for everyone. Find a comfortable place to sit, settle in, and experience how mindfulness can bring steadiness and space, even in the midst of change.
A brief time for questions and reflections will follow each practice.
Speaker
Taylor Rush, PhD
Health Psychologist, Director of Behavioral Services and Interdisciplinary Programs, Center for Neurological Restoration, Cleveland Clinic
There is no charge to attend, but registration is required. This program is open to people with Parkinson's, their family, friends, and the community.
Parkinson’s Champions athletes raise funds and awareness for the Parkinson’s Foundation while competing in some of the world’s most popular races. We run and ride because we know the power of movement for people living with Parkinson's.
Expert Briefing: Complementary Therapies & Functional Medicine in Parkinson's Care
November 12, 2025
Managing Parkinson’s disease (PD) symptoms goes beyond traditional medications, with complementary therapies and holistic approaches offering additional support. This program introduces participants to non-drug options—such as massage, acupuncture, red light therapy, and CBD—that can help relieve symptoms and enhance daily well-being. By exploring functional medicine's focus on root causes and whole-body wellness, participants will gain a deeper understanding of how these therapies can address symptoms and improve overall quality of life, providing a more balanced and individualized approach to PD management.
Britt A. Stone, MD
Assistant Clinical Professor, Clinical Director — Vanderbilt Neurology Main Campus Clinics
Medical Director — Parkinson's Foundation Center of Excellence
Division of Movement Disorders, Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Videos & Webinars
Expert Briefing: Tremor, Shakes, & Everything in Between
Tremor, Shakes, & Everything in Between: Parkinson's Motor Symptoms
March 11, 2026
Motor symptoms are among the most recognizable aspects of Parkinson’s disease. From tremor and rigidity to dystonia, dyskinesia, and changes in posture and gait, these symptoms can affect daily life in unique ways. We will explore the wide spectrum of motor symptoms, how they evolve, and strategies for managing them.
Pablo Coss, MD
Assistant Professor of Neurology, UTH San Antonio
Movement Disorders Specialist
Director, HDSA Center of Excellence, San Antonio
UT Health San Antonio
Raise Awareness
Mi Historia con EP – Fidel & Myrella Guzman
Fidel Guzman
Llegué a este país hace más de 30 años desde México y trabajé en varios empleos a lo largo de mi vida para mantener a mi familia. Mi verdadera pasión siempre fue la música. Vengo de una familia de músicos y tuve la bendición de poder formar parte de varias bandas aquí en Estados Unidos, donde tocaba el bajo sexto y cantaba.
Tengo dos hijas, un hijo y dos nietas que me motivan a enfrentar las dificultades de mi diagnóstico. Mi hija mayor notó mis primeros síntomas de Parkinson y me ayudó a encontrar un neurólogo que me dio el diagnóstico oficial hace 5 años. Desde entonces, mi hija se ha asegurado de que me mantenga activo todos los días y me inscribió en Rock Steady Boxing, lo cual me ha ayudado a sentirme lo mejor posible.
No pensé que iba a disfrutarlo, pero el movimiento realmente ha sido como una medicina para mí. La Fundación dice que el tipo de ejercicio que te gusta hacer, mientras que sea seguro, es el mejor ejercicio para ti.
Busque a Fidel y Myrella en nuestro nuevo anuncio de servicio público, cuyo objetivo es ayudar a las personas a encontrar respuestas reales a sus preguntas acerca del Parkinson.
También disfruto bailar con mis hijas cada vez que puedo. La música es una especie de terapia para mí y me transporta a un lugar de pura alegría. Hasta mi hija mayor dice que, cuando bailamos juntos, mi equilibrio está en su mejor momento y la movilidad parece más fácil.]
Me encanta pasar tiempo con mis hijos y mis nietas, y estoy muy agradecido por tener su apoyo.
Cuando a mi padre le diagnosticaron la enfermedad de Parkinson (EP) hace cinco años, supe que tenía que averiguar todo lo posible sobre el Parkinson. Mi padre es la persona más trabajadora y cariñosa que conozco e hice todo lo que estuvo a mi alcance para ayudarle a navegar por esta enfermedad.
Decidí dedicarme a la fisioterapia como profesión para poder darle yo misma los mejores cuidados posibles. Después de graduarme y aprobar mis certificaciones, empecé a trabajar con pacientes de Parkinson en varios entornos y me di cuenta de que el movimiento es medicina.
Durante este tiempo, me mudé con mi pareja a cinco horas de distancia de mi padre, lo que dificultó mantenerlo motivado y en movimiento. ¡Lo inscribí en Rock Steady Boxing y la clase le sentó muy bien! Noté un cambio muy positivo en su estado de ánimo y físico. Fue gracias a la Parkinson's Foundation que pude encontrar estas clases.
Estamos aquí para los aliados en el cuidado. Aprenda más acerca de Cuidar a la distancia y otros temas para los aliados en el cuidado.
Desde que lo diagnosticaron, cada día me he sentido más inspirada para ayudar a personas como mi padre y a sus familias. He adoptado la misión de educar no sólo a mis pacientes acerca de la importancia de las recomendaciones oficiales de ejercicio de la Parkinson’s Foundation, sino también a mis colegas. Cada día, junto con otros terapeutas, intento crear un espacio en el que la orientación, la formación profesional y los recursos más actualizados estén al alcance de todas las personas con la EP que entren por mi puerta.
Como mexicana-estadounidense de primera generación, también conozco los desafíos a los que pueden enfrentarse los hijos adultos al navegar por el sistema de salud tanto en inglés como en español. Contar con recursos en ambos idiomas, como los que ofrece la Parkinson’s Foundation, ha sido un salvavidas.
Parece que en la comunidad hispana existe un estigma a la hora de compartir las dificultades médicas y a menudo muchas personas con la EP — como mi padre — se sienten aisladas. Por eso, crear comunidad ha sido una parte tan importante del recorrido de mi padre y, como defensora, también del mío. Educar a nuestra comunidad sobre los síntomas y tratamientos del Parkinson es un trabajo que me tomo muy en serio.
Estoy agradecida con mis hermanos, que siempre están pendientes de papá y con la tecnología, que me ayuda a mantenerme en contacto con mi padre a diario. Aprovecho al máximo mis viajes mensuales para llevarlo a sus citas y comprobar en persona sus progresos.
Te quiero, papá. Eres mi mejor amigo, ¡y haría cualquier cosa para asegurarme de que eres feliz y estás sano!
How PD Trial Navigator Engages People with Parkinson’s to Accelerate Clinical Trials
🧠 What will you learn in this article?
PD GENEration: Powered by the Parkinson’s Foundation is a global research initiative offering genetic testing and counseling at no cost for people living with Parkinson’s disease (PD).
PD Trial Navigator is a pilot program connecting PD GENEration participants with clinical trials relevant to them.
It offers personalized education and guidance around clinical trial opportunities, to help participants clarify their health goals and advocate for themselves.
By improving trail matching and recruitment, it helps accelerate clinical trial recruitment, helping speed up the development of new therapies and cures.
Since its 2019 launch, PD GENEration: Powered by the Parkinson’s Foundationhas provided genetic testing and counseling to more than 30,000 people with Parkinson’s disease (PD), empowering them to better understand their genes and family risks. This knowledge also helps advance research. Clinical trials for PD often seek people with specific genetic variants for which a new drug or therapy is designed — an important step toward deepening our understanding of PD.
A new Parkinson’s Foundation pilot program, PD Trial Navigator, connects PD GENEration participants to clinical trials for which they may qualify. With guidance from trained Trial Navigators, people with PD will be able to learn about current clinical trials relevant to them, to support enrollment. Thus, helping advance research toward new therapies and ultimately a cure.
PD GENEration accelerates clinical trial recruitment. In 2023, the biopharmaceutical company BIAL launched a clinical study for a new PD drug targeting those with a GBA1+ genetic variant. Through the PD GENEration community, BIAL quickly filled the study, enrolling more than 230 participants in less than a year.
PD Community Feedback is the Compass for PD Trial Navigator
Prior to creating PD Trial Navigator, the Foundation sought to identify what people with PD want from such a program. Evelyn Stevens, Parkinson’s Foundation Senior Director of Research Engagement and Maggie Caulfield, PhD, Director of Research Programs, brought together two focus groups with previous PD GENEration participants to discuss their understanding and interest in clinical trials and personalized medicine.
Key takeaways from the focus groups included:
Clinical trials seem difficult to join, because of strict eligibility requirements or excessive travel and time needed for participation.
Communications about research opportunities from neurologists or healthcare partners are mixed and inconsistent, leading to apprehension around clinical trials.
The term “personalized medicine” is confusing and needs clarification.
“Disease modifying therapies and personalized medicine are approaches that represent a meaningful shift in Parkinson’s care — moving beyond managing symptoms to slowing or stopping disease progression and tailoring research treatment to a person’s unique biology and genetics. Through PD Trial Navigator, we translated focus group insights to build educational resources that help the PD community navigate these approaches with confidence,” said Evelyn.
Dr. Caulfield and Evelyn reviewed the results from the 2024 PD GENEration survey and the 2025 Parkinson’s Foundation State of the Community survey for program-guiding insights. A wide majority of respondents (84%) in the 2024 survey expressed interest in being contacted about clinical trials, with 64% also interested in telehealth trial participation.
The 2025 survey highlighted that most people with PD (52% of respondents) have likely not participated in a clinical trial or research study before but were interested in research updates and relied on digital platforms as their primary resource for PD information.
This valuable input helped the PD Trial Navigator team identify three key educational priorities for the program:
Provide illustrative overviews on how disease-modifying therapies work and how they relate to precision medicine.
Explain the clinical research process, including eligibility criteria and the importance of placebo groups.
Emphasize shared decision-making for informed consent, including care teams and loved ones in the process
This feedback shaped the PD Trial Navigator program, ensuring its design aligns with the needs and priorities of the PD community.
Accelerating Recruitment = Accelerating Research
As PD Trial Navigator helps connect more interested and eligible participants to studies, it will help accelerate trials and research. When less time is spent on recruiting, more time and resources can be devoted to analyzing results and improving future treatment designs.
The NEULARK trial, a Parkinson’s Foundation Industry Consortium Member Study sponsored by Neuron23, is one of the first to benefit from this program in action. Their study requires people with PD and a specific LRRK2 genetic variant or who have overactive LRRK2 activity and who have not begun dopamine medication.
The PD GENEration database, together with Neuron23’s secure, confidential data driven tool, identified more than 2,000 potentially eligible participants, allowing the PD Trial Navigator team to relay the information to the associated healthcare sites to kickstart screening. For those not located at a PD GENEration site, trained Navigators contacted eligible participants directly, offering guidance and answering questions about the process.
"I have only gotten through a portion of the list but have already identified a couple of candidates for NEULARK, a study that is quite challenging to fill. This is a great development and a great example of the potential of PD-gene,” said Joseph Quinn, MD, Vice Chair for Research Parkinson's Center Director at Oregon Health and Science University, a Parkinson’s Foundation Center of Excellence.
By working with PD GENEration and PD Trial Navigator, Neuron23 can find eligible participants more efficiently, speeding up the research process and getting results to the Parkinson’s community faster. These accelerated timelines could cause an effective treatment to be available years earlier than anticipated, changing the lives of those with PD that could benefit from it.
Navigating Toward a Cure
Where PD GENEration is providing awareness and data around PD-related genetic variance, PD Trial Navigator is taking the next step to empower clinical trial engagement through personalized education and outreach. This program, designed around PD community needs, will inspire and advance PD research toward novel treatments and cures.
Mi nombre es Claudia Flores. Llevo dos años trabajando como Promotora de Salud en el área de Chicago y sus suburbios. Nací y crecí en la ciudad de Chicago, en el área de Little Village.
Una de mis funciones principales como promotora es educar e informar a mi comunidad. Uno de mis roles es salir a nuestras comunidades para darles a conocer información importante, educarlos y ayudarles a aprender cómo vivir una vida más saludable.
Mi misión es educar y brindar herramientas a mi comunidad. Siempre busco seguir educándome y aprendiendo para poder presentar la información de manera clara y precisa. De esta forma, las personas pueden entender mejor y, al educarlas, les doy el poder para saber qué hacer y cómo enfrentar la enfermedad, así como compartir ese conocimiento con otros.
La enfermedad de Parkinson es una condición que tiene muchos mitos y muchas de nuestras comunidades no están bien informadas. Mi misión es educar y crear conciencia sobre los síntomas tempranos del Parkinson, para que estemos más alertas como comunidad. También busco que las personas sepan qué hacer, que tengan las herramientas necesarias y que podamos dar voz a la educación para futuras generaciones.
Get out and move with your community! Every dollar raised supports the Parkinson’s Foundation mission to make life better for people affected by Parkinson’s disease (PD). At Moving Day Community Walks across the country, we’re fighting Parkinson’s and celebrating movement — proven to help manage Parkinson’s symptoms — and we’re doing it together. The Moving Day Community Walk Program is a complement to the Parkinson’s Foundation Moving Day, A Walk for Parkinson’s. These walks are family-friendly and help the Foundation make life better for people with PD.
The Community Walk program offers volunteers an opportunity to organize a walk in their own community that does not have a Moving Day event. The program leverages the personal experiences and community leadership of passionate volunteers to promote Parkinson’s awareness and raise funds for the Parkinson’s Foundation.”
Parkinson’s Champions athletes raise funds and awareness for the Parkinson’s Foundation while competing in some of the world’s most popular races. We run and ride because we know the power of movement for people living with Parkinson's.
The National Institute for Fitness and Sport in partnership with NuStep is raising awareness in senior living on the benefits of exercise for individuals living with Parkinson’s.
10 million people are living with Parkinson's disease worldwide. On April 9, 2026 we will step together to make a difference.
Join your senior living team, step solo, or start your own team as we all work toward our goal of 25,000,000 steps.
Parkinson’s Champions athletes raise funds and awareness for the Parkinson’s Foundation while competing in some of the world’s most popular races. We run and ride because we know the power of movement for people living with Parkinson's.
Parkinson’s disease is one of the fastest-growing neurological disorders, impacting millions around the world. This April, in partnership with the Parkinson’s Foundation, join us for the Million Meter Challenge! Whether you row, run, bike, or power-walk, every dollar raised helps bring us closer to a cure. Let’s move together, reach our goal, and make a difference for the future of Parkinson’s.
The Goal: 1 Million Meters per team (higher for biking)
Conversion Chart:
RUNNING - 62 MILES (100,000 METERS) POWER WALKING - 62 MILES (100,000 METERS) BIKING - 186 MILES (300,000 METERS)
The Mission: Raise $50,000 for Parkinson's research and support.
IN-PERSON EVENT
The Million Meter Challenge: Community in Motion
Date: Sunday, April 12 Location: The Sachs Center, Deerfield, IL Time: TBA
Join us for a day of empowerment, awareness, and movement! This full-body workout will be led by four expert instructors, designed to get the community moving while raising awareness for Parkinson’s disease. Make a difference, connect, sweat, and celebrate the power of community in motion! This event is for ages 13+.
Parkinson’s Champions athletes raise funds and awareness for the Parkinson’s Foundation while competing in some of the world’s most popular races. We run and ride because we know the power of movement for people living with Parkinson's.
Orthostatic Hypotension in Parkinson’s Raises Long-Term Fall Risk
Orthostatic hypotension (OH) — a significant drop in blood pressure that occurs when you stand up — is one of the most common non-movement symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD). It can cause dizziness, blurred vision, fatigue, and difficulty thinking, which can lead to falls. Generally, OH is also associated with cardiovascular problems (issues with the heart). Together, these risks highlight the importance of understanding how OH impacts health outcomes, especially in people with Parkinson’s.
A new nationwide study, published in Parkinsonism & Related Disorders, explores the longer-term consequences for people with Parkinson’s who experience OH. The study was led by Hikaru Kamo, MD, PhD, a 2025 Melvin Yahr Parkinson’s Disease Clinical Research Award recipient. Dr. Kamo and his research team, based at the University of Florida’s Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases, also included collaborators from the Parkinson’s Foundation.
Study Results
Using a nationwide insurance claims database, the research team analyzed records from 111,368 adults with Parkinson's disease, of whom 2,598 had a documented diagnosis of OH. After using statistical methods to account for differences between the two groups — such as age, other medical conditions and medications — the team found that people with Parkinson's and OH had a 35% higher chance of experiencing a fall over five years compared to those with Parkinson's alone. They also accumulated more total falls over time.
However, despite long-standing concerns that OH might put extra strain on the heart and blood vessels, the study found no significant link between OH and major cardiovascular events such as heart attack or stroke.
Among those with OH who were taking commonly prescribed medications for the condition, such as midodrine or fludrocortisone, fall risk was 34% higher compared to those not on these drugs, with no added cardiovascular benefit.
However, the study authors suggest that the most likely explanation is that people with more severe OH symptoms are more likely to be prescribed medication for the condition, and as a result are more likely to experience falls regardless of medication use. At this point, it should not be considered a cause-and-effect relationship until additional studies investigate further.
Overall, these findings were consistent across analyses, suggesting that OH in Parkinson's is more likely to lead to problems with falls compared to cardiovascular issues. Therefore, treatment for OH in Parkinson’s should place a strong emphasis on fall prevention.
Highlights
People with Parkinson's and OH had a 35% higher chance of experiencing a fall over five years compared to those with Parkinson's alone. They also accumulated more total falls over time.
Despite concerns that OH might strain the heart and blood vessels, the study found no significant link between OH and major cardiovascular events such as heart attack and stroke.
Among those with OH, people taking common OH medications (such as midodrine or fludrocortisone) had a 34% higher fall risk compared to those not on these drugs, without any added cardiovascular benefit.
In people with Parkinson’s and OH, fall risk is the main safety concern compared to cardiovascular events.
What does this mean?
This study supports that orthostatic hypotension in Parkinson’s is more of a fall-risk issue instead of a cardiovascular one. While that is reassuring news on the heart-health side, it underscores the importance of addressing fall prevention as a top priority for people living with Parkinson's and OH.
This research also indicates that more studies are needed on the impact of OH medications. Current research suggests that OH medications primarily treat the symptoms of OH, rather than treating the underlying cause of the condition. While these results of this study show that fall risk is higher in people with Parkinson’s taking OH medication compared to those without medication, the authors suggest that this may be a misleading association. To determine a cause-and-effect relationship, further studies on this topic are needed.
How do these findings impact people with Parkinson’s right now?
Overall, the message to the Parkinson’s community is that OH should be viewed primarily as a mobility and safety issue rather than a heart problem. This study adds important evidence about the real-world impact of OH in Parkinson’s and points to the need for better fall-prevention strategies and further study of treatment approaches.
PD care should prioritize fall prevention strategies, regardless of OH status. For people with PD and care partners, this means greater emphasis on lifestyle approaches such as fall-prevention programs, physical therapy, balance training, home safety modifications and knowing if medications can increase fall risk.
If you experience OH symptoms — such as weakness, difficulty thinking, headaches and blurred or dimmed vision — discuss them with your doctor.
Learn More
The Parkinson’s Foundation believes in empowering the Parkinson’s community through education. Learn more about PD and orthostatic hypotension through our resources below, or by calling our free Helpline at 1-800-4PD-INFO (1-800-473-4636) for answers to your Parkinson’s questions.
