Episode 171: Allied Health Spotlight: Physical Therapy Recommendations for Exercising Safely
Allied health professionals are a group of healthcare providers whose role and expertise complement the work of physicians. These include specialists such as physical and occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, nutritionists, and many more. They are just as important as your Movement Disorders Specialists and Neurologists, and play a vital role in creating a comprehensive, well-rounded Parkinson’s care team that caters to your individual needs and addresses your overall well-being.
In this first episode of our Allied Health Spotlight series, we explore the benefits of including physical therapy in your care plan. Exercise is a vital component for people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) to maintain balance, mobility, and activities of daily living. It should be part of the standard practice of care for every person with PD. Research has shown that exercise is the only intervention with the potential to slow the progression of the disease. In this episode, Physical Therapist Patricia Brown, PT, DPT, NCS of Chapman University in California, who specializes in neurologic diseases, discusses some considerations for exercising safely, taking into account the particular needs of people with PD. She also talks about how to get and stay motivated to exercise and where to find classes or programs.
Released: August 13, 2024
Patricia S. Brown, PT, DPT is a licensed Doctor of Physical Therapy. She has over 30 years of experience in rehabilitation of persons with neurologic health conditions and certified by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialists in Neurology since 1999. Currently, she is an Associate Clinical Professor teaching future health care professionals in the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at Chapman University’s Rinker Health Science Campus in Irvine, California.
She has a passion for both rehabilitation and wellness applied to those with Parkinson’s disease. She is a certified LSVT BIG clinician and a faculty trainer for LSVT Global. She is also a certified PWR! Clinician, a graduate of the Parkinson’s Foundation Team Training for PD, and a graduate of the Parkinson’s Foundation Faculty Training Workshop. Dr. Brown is currently active with PEP4U, a non-profit providing no-fee exercise, education and social support to people impacted by Parkinson’s disease in Orange County, California.
Check-in begins at noon with lunch and vendor visits. The program begins at 1 PM CST.
Parkinson’s disease can create many challenges to getting a good night’s sleep. This program provides information on how Parkinson's disease affects sleep quality and addresses ways you can get a better night's sleep while living with PD. Hear how exercising, nutrition and good sleep hygiene can improve sleep quality.
Speakers
Jeffrey Boyle, MD, PhD
Avera Health
Matthew Leedom, DPT
Avera Health
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. Every step we take brings us closer to a future without Parkinson’s disease, because Parkinson’s isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon.
Mindfulness meditation, like regular exercise, is a valuable self-care tool for managing Parkinson’s Disease. In this session, we'll focus on strengthening our mindfulness muscles to better cope with the unpredictability of Parkinson's. We’ll explore the physical and emotional benefits of mindfulness, practice non-judgmental moment-to-moment awareness, and cultivate mindfulness with intention in a supportive and caring environment.
Whether this is your first mindfulness Monday, or you are a returning participant, these sessions are created with the intention of including everyone. There will be time for questions following the practice.
Speaker
Barbara Leffler, PhD, RN
Retired Clinical Psychologist and Registered Nurse
Care Partner to her husband living with Parkinson's
Parkinson’s Foundation Hospital Lead Ambassador
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. Every step we take brings us closer to a future without Parkinson’s disease, because Parkinson’s isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon.
Acompáñenos en un seminario web donde hablaremos acerca de la enfermedad de Parkinson de inicio temprano (EPIT). Aprenderá las diferencias entre el Parkinson típico y la EPIT, explorando las características distintivas de la EPIT, su impacto en la vida diaria y estrategias efectivas para controlar los síntomas y mantener la calidad de vida.
Ya sea que esté recién diagnosticado, sea aliado en el cuidado o simplemente busque aprender más, este webinar ofrece valiosos conocimientos y consejos prácticos de expertos y personas diagnosticadas con la EPIT.
Presentadora
Dra. Ashley Madera
Investigadora de trastornos del movimiento, Programa de trastornos del movimiento
Departamento de neurología, UCLA
Panelistas
Elva Brown
Consejo para personas con Parkinson (People with Parkinson’s Advisory Council)
Persona con la enfermedad de Parkinson de inicio temprano (EPIT)
Monica Broll
Persona con la enfermedad de Parkinson de inicio temprano (EPIT)
Edwin Castillo
Persona con la enfermedad de Parkinson de inicio temprano (EPIT)
Parkinson’s Champions athletes raise funds and awareness for the Parkinson’s Foundation while competing in some of the world’s most popular races. Every step we take brings us closer to a future without Parkinson’s disease, because Parkinson’s isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon.
En este webinar, exploraremos las experiencias y los desafíos únicos que enfrentan las mujeres con la enfermedad de Parkinson (EP). Las mujeres con la EP pueden experimentar síntomas y patrones de progresión diferentes en comparación con los hombres.
Ahondaremos en estos aspectos específicos de género de la EP, discutiremos técnicas de manejo efectivas y proporcionaremos información acerca de los recursos de apoyo disponibles.
Presentadora
Dra. Adrienne M Keener
Profesora clínica adjunta, Programa de trastornos del movimiento
Directora de programa, Programa de residencia
Departamento de neurología, UCLA
Panelista
Lucia Wang
Persona con la enfermedad de Parkinson de inicio temprano (EPIT)
Parkinson’s Champions athletes raise funds and awareness for the Parkinson’s Foundation while competing in some of the world’s most popular races. Every step we take brings us closer to a future without Parkinson’s disease, because Parkinson’s isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon.
More than 110,000 veterans with Parkinson’s disease receive care through the U.S. Department of Affairs (VA). Many U.S. military veterans with Parkinson’s have access to specialized medical care and financial assistance through the VA. During this webinar, we will dive into an exploration of the extensive resources and dedicated support services that Veterans have access to through the VA and the Parkinson’s Foundation.
Speakers
Gretchen Glenn, LCSW
Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center
Philadelphia PADRECC
Social Worker/Associate Director of Education
National VA PD Consortium Education Subcommittee Chairperson
Johnnie Bourque
Veteran Services Representative
Floater Northern Region
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. Every step we take brings us closer to a future without Parkinson’s disease, because Parkinson’s isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon.
Check-in & Resource Fair start at 9:00 a.m. EST (for in-person attendees)
Living with Parkinson’s can be challenging, but there are many things you can do to maintain and improve your quality of life. This program will provide you with information to help you find the balance between a proactive approach and wondering what lies ahead.
There is no charge to attend, but registration is required. This program is open to people with Parkinson's, their family members, friends and the community. Lunch will be served to those joining us in person.
Parkinson’s Champions athletes raise funds and awareness for the Parkinson’s Foundation while competing in some of the world’s most popular races. Every step we take brings us closer to a future without Parkinson’s disease, because Parkinson’s isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon.
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. Every step we take brings us closer to a future without Parkinson’s disease, because Parkinson’s isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon.
Research Shows Genetic Variants Are More Common in People with Parkinson’s Than Originally Thought
New Parkinson’s Foundation research has found that genetic variants associated with Parkinson’s disease (PD) are more common than researchers previously believed.
Investigators in the Parkinson’s Foundation PD GENEration: Mapping the Future of Parkinson’s Disease study found that 13% of participants have a genetic form of PD — a significant observation compared to long-standing estimates. Results from the first 3.5 years of the study, which examined a broad North American cohort, was published in the peer-reviewed scientific journal Brain.
PD GENEration reached its goal of 15,000 participants this spring, ahead of schedule. Through the study, the Parkinson’s Foundation offers genetic testing for PD-related genes to any person with a confirmed PD diagnosis.
PD GENEration is the first of its kind to return results via live genetic counseling in English or Spanish. This enables participants and physicians to make more informed decisions about their care, including enrollment in gene-specific clinical trials.
Key PD GENEration findings published in Brain include:
7.7% of participants carried a GBA1 genetic mutation, 2.1% of participants carried a PRKN genetic mutation, and 2.4% of participants carried a LRRK2 genetic mutation. All participants were informed about their genetic status through the genetic counseling component of the program.
The positivity rate for a genetic variant is significantly higher for individuals with high risk. Those with young-onset PD, high-risk ancestry (such as Ashkenazi Jewish, Spanish Basque, or North African Berber), or a first-degree relative affected with the disease had an 18% positivity rate. The positivity rate for individuals without one of those risk factors was nearly 10%.
Many of these participants may qualify for precision medicine trials, showing the feasibility and importance of broadly offering genetic testing.
“We did not anticipate the high positivity rate for genetic mutations, specifically the nearly 10% having a positive result even without any known genetic risk factors,” said Roy Alcalay, MD, MS, Tel Aviv Medical Center, Israel, and the Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, and lead principal investigator for PD GENEration. “Further, the speed at which participants enrolled in PD GENEration is a testament to the interest of people with PD to obtain data on their genetic status. Taken together, the positivity rate and the high interest in getting genotyped will hopefully translate to increased participation in observational studies and clinical trials toward therapies targeting these genes, simplifying precision medicine clinical trials in PD.”
Announcing the Next Phase
PD GENEration is moving into its next phase with support from the Global Parkinson's Genetics Program (GP2), a program of the Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP) initiative. ASAP's funding allows the Parkinson’s Foundation to accelerate the study’s impact by focusing on those who have been historically underrepresented in research.
Through wide-scale recruitment, the study is reaching a larger and more diverse community in the U.S., Canada and Latin America. The Parkinson’s Foundation aims to enroll an additional 8,000 participants, including 2,400 in Latin America, during the next phase of the study.
“PD GENEration is designed to be inclusive and accessible to all populations, with the goal of improving clinical outcomes for everyone. We are proud that the data we have collected through PD GENEration reflects the largest and most diverse North American cohort ever tested – and even though we reached our initial recruitment goal of 15,000 this spring, bigger things are on the horizon,” said James Beck, PhD, Parkinson’s Foundation chief scientific officer.
Studies have demonstrated that exercise has brain and body benefits for people with Parkinson’s disease. Exercise can help to improve Parkinson’s symptoms and help individuals do the activities they enjoy. Learn that there are benefits to movement at all stages of Parkinson’s and that it is never too late to start.
Speaker:
Jeanne S Feuerstein, MD, Assistant Professor of Neurology, Movement Disorder Specialist, University of Colorado, a Parkinson Foundation Center of Excellence
Parkinson’s Champions athletes raise funds and awareness for the Parkinson’s Foundation while competing in some of the world’s most popular races. Every step we take brings us closer to a future without Parkinson’s disease, because Parkinson’s isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon.
