People living with Parkinson’s disease—and their loved ones—face many challenges. Along with the right treatment, resources and support services can help you maintain physical and emotional health and find a group of peers who understand what you’re going through.
At the Penn Medicine Movement Disorders Center, we offer therapeutic and educational programs, support groups, and other resources to help you manage Parkinson’s disease progression in a way that works for you.
Parkinson’s Support Groups
Penn Medicine is connected to a network of support groups in locations across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, including a young-onset Parkinson’s group and a group for women with Parkinson’s. Each group has events featuring guest speakers and educational content. For more information, call 215-829-7273.
Living Well at Home is an online support group that promotes community and offers educational content and an online exercise program for people with Parkinson’s disease. Contact 215-829-7273 to learn more about Living Well at Home.
Therapeutic and Educational Programs for Parkinson’s
The Dan Aaron Parkinson’s Rehabilitation Center (DAPRC) provides comprehensive rehabilitation services for patients with PD. The DAPRC also promotes educational opportunities, such as classes to learn more about Parkinson’s disease. For more information, contact 215-829-7275.
Research shows that regular exercise, music, and dance are powerful therapies for people living with Parkinson’s. Rhythmic stimulation and moving to music may slow disease progression and improve cognition and control of movement. These fun activities also encourage physical exercise and promote a sense of well-being.
Programs for people with Parkinson’s disease include:
- Dance for PD®: Dance for PD is a national program that uses dance to enhance well-being for people with Parkinson’s. You can dance while standing or seated. To learn more, please contact The Parkinson Council for classes in and outside of Philadelphia.
- Rock Steady Boxing: This program teaches non-contact boxing-based exercise specifically designed to help with symptoms affecting balance, stiffness, and coordination. Read more about Rock Steady Boxing.
- Parkinsingers: Singing can help people with Parkinson’s strengthen their voices and speak more easily. This acapella group, made up of people with Parkinson’s and their loved ones, performs a few times each year. For more information, call 215-668-0116.
Psychological Support Services
Learning you have Parkinson’s disease may leave you with many questions or concerns. Our trained social workers, psychologists, and spiritual counselors offer free telemedicine consults for individuals newly diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Our counselors also provide emotional support for people experiencing life transitions as the disease progresses.
Throughout the stages of Parkinson’s progression, counseling can help you voice your concerns, ask questions, and develop coping strategies.
Coordinating Parkinson’s Support from Anywhere
People with advanced stage Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders who don’t live in the Philadelphia area often seek more advanced treatment options at Penn Medicine. Some of these options include deep brain stimulation (DBS) and MR-guided focused ultrasound.
We accommodate patients from across the region—and the nation—to make your care journey as easy as possible. Our patient coordinator handles all your scheduling. Your first visit is a telemedicine consult during which we talk about all your treatment options.
You’ll then meet with your neurologist at our Movement Disorders Center for a physical examination and have any recommended tests. If our team agrees that you could benefit from a surgical procedure like DBS, our patient coordinator schedules your surgery and follow-up. The DBS device is implanted, activated, and programmed.
Our team works with your local neurologist for a smooth transition as you return home. We stay in touch with your local doctors and collaborate to provide your care.
Palliative Care
Palliative care is designed to ease pain and symptoms and increase quality of life for anyone living with a long-term illness. Penn Medicine’s Movement Disorders Center multidisciplinary palliative care clinic follows the palliative care model training taught by the Parkinson’s Foundation. This approach focuses on addressing all the physical, social, emotional, and spiritual needs for people with Parkinson’s.
Make an Appointment
Please call 800-789-7366 or make an appointment.