Researchers and clinicians at MRRI and Jefferson-Moss Magee Rehabilitation participated in a community event this past weekend. The event, “Movement and Memory: Navigating Parkinson’s and memory disorders”, was organized by the Delaware Valley Endeavor for Racial Solidarity in PD (Diversity PD). Diversity PD is a collaborative effort led by the Parkinson Council to provide education and resources for people of color. The purpose of this Saturday’s event was to provide support, education, and resources to individuals from underserved communities who are living with Parkinson’s disease. The event included education from local experts, open sharing sessions, audience Q&A, a performance by a member of the ParkinSINGERS Choir, and time to visit and chat with some local community organizations. The group from MRRI and Jefferson-Moss Magee Rehabilitation, which included Aaron Wong, PhD, Jonathan Wood, PhD, and Michele Aguado, PT, had the opportunity to share and promote the many resources offered here for those living with Parkinson’s disease.

In addition to physical, occupational, and speech therapies at various Jefferson-Moss-Magee Rehabilitation locations, resources here include:

• A weekly maintenance program designed to help individuals with PD stay active and continue exercising after a bout of therapy is complete.
• The Klein Family Parkinson’s Rehabilitation Center Clinic, a free multidisciplinary clinic designed to provide recommendations to address goals that might otherwise be challenging to recognize or achieve by one discipline alone, and to create a space where people with Parkinson’s disease and caregivers can ask questions and learn more about what to expect with this disorder
• A support group for both individuals living with Parkinson’s disease and their caregivers.
• Information about the research studies currently being conducted as well as opportunities to participant in future research by signing up for the MRRI Research Registry.

Participating in the event is part of an ongoing effort by researchers at MRRI to diversify the individuals who participate in the Institute’s research studies, particularly those living with Parkinson’s disease. This is important because individuals who are included in research studies should represent the community of individuals living with the disease so that research findings are applicable to all individuals with the disease. MRRI scientists were honored and excited to be a part of this event and look forward to future opportunities to share these outstanding clinical and research resources with the community.