Powerful Resources for People with Parkinson’s

Books on Living with Parkinson’s Disease

Every Victory Counts: Essential Information & Inspiration for a Lifetime of Wellness with Parkinson’s

Book by Monique Giroux, MD & Sierra Farris, PA-C, MPAS. Free from the Davis Phinney Foundation: Care partner version also available. 

Parkinson's Disease For Dummies 

Book by Michele Tagliati, MD; Gary Guten, MD, MA; and Jo Horne, MA. More recent edition 2022.

A Prescription for Action: Ending Parkinson’s Disease, Ray Dorsey, MD; Tedd Shere, PhD; Michael S.Okun, MD; Bastiaan R Bloem, MD, PhD. Published May 2020.

Living with Parkinson's Disease: A Complete Guide for Patients and Caregivers 

Book by Michael S. Okun, MD; Irene Malaty (Author), Wissam Deeb (Author). Published April 2020.

Exercise Resources

For a comprehensive listing of in-home options for Parkinson's exercises (both live classes and pre recorded options), including cardio, strength, dance, boxing, spinning, yoga, and tai chi, please visit: https://pcla.org/at-home-fitness-options-for-people-with-parkinsons/ 

IN-PERSON CLASSES IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY 

BOXING 

Rock Steady Boxing

There are several Rock Steady Boxing programs in the greater Los Angeles area, including Burbank, Calabasas, Encino, Monrovia, Pacific Palisades, and Simi Valley. If you are outside of the Los Angeles area, use their find a class tool to find classes near you.

Beat Based Movement

Beat Based Movement is an exercise and movement class, located in Venice, that incorporates percussion and boxing. This program is specifically designed for the PD community.

Neuroboxing

Neuroboxing offers boxing, spin, HIIT classes, plates, and yoga classes. Some are online and some are in person.

Neuro-Wellness Alliance

Neuro-Wellness Alliance offers in-person boxing classes in Woodland Hills, CA, as well as online boxing and spinning classes.

Mayweather Boxing

Mayweather Boxing: 8900 Venice Boulevard, Suite 103, Culver City, CA, 90232; Culvercity@mayweather.fit

DANCE 

Dancing Through Parkinson’s

Dancing Through Parkinson’s offers donation-based weekly dance classes in Venice and in Tarzana.

Lineage Performing Arts Center

Lineage Performing Arts Center in Pasadena offers free dance, voice and music, and acting classes for people with PD and other neurological challenges.

PING PONG 

Ping Pong for Good

Ping Pong For Good offers in-person (West Los Angeles) and virtual ping pong classes, specifically geared toward the Parkinson's community. This 75-minute circuit-style classes Include a full-body warm-up and a series of drills on and off the table.

WALKING/HIKING 

All Trails

You can search for hiking and walking trails near you using the All Trails website or app. You can filter trails by difficulty, accessibility, and more, and you can read user reviews of trails.

YOGA

Iyengar Yoga

Garth McClean
yogarthman@gmail.com

Parkinson’s Research News

Parkinson's News Today

Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's

Aging and Sleep Study

Learn about the relationship between age and sleep to understand what’s normal—and what’s not.

Living Well with Parkinson’s

Parkinson's Foundation

American Parkinson Disease Association

Davis Phinney Foundation

PMD Alliance

Brain Grant Foundation

Stories from Living with Parkinson’s

A short documentary from Mediflix

There’s a lot of living left to do for people with Parkinson’s Disease. This film breaks down the important ON/OFF periods between when medications are most and least effective – through the lens of patients themselves.

[👉 Watch Documentary]

More to Parkinson’s®

More to Parkinson’s® is a disease awareness campaign that aims to break the stigma surrounding PD-related hallucinations and delusions and foster open dialogue among people living with Parkinson’s and their loved ones before symptoms start or at the first sign so they may speak up to their doctor.

Speech Therapy for Parkinson’s

Speech Therapy for PD: What are the Options?

PCLA program.

LSVT Global

Find local therapists and speech language pathologists trained in the LSVT LOUD program - specifically for people with PD - on their site.

Parkinson Voice Project 

Find local therapists and speech language pathologists via their online search tool.

"Stay Loud!" class from Cal State Northridge 

Contact the CSULA Speech & Hearing Clinic at COMD@calstatela.edu or 323.343.4754 for the latest Information. 

SoCal Speech Therapy & Swallowing Diagnostics

11271 Ventura Blvd. #218, Studio City, Calif. 91604
310.754.0329 or patricia@socalswallowdx.com

Physical Therapy for Parkinson’s

BEVERLY HILLS 

Rehab Specialists
415 North Crescent Drive, Ste 130
(310) 273-0877
info@rehabspecialistsinc.net 

ENCINO 

Balance and Vestibular Physical Therapy Center, Adam D. Law PT, DPT
17071 Ventura Blvd. Suite 103
(818) 232-4884
alaw@bvcphysicaltherapy.com 

Rehab Specialists
5359 Balboa Blvd.,Suite A, Encino 91316
(310) 273-0877
info@rehabspecialistsinc.net

GRANADA HILLS 

Progressive Physical Therapy, Diane Poladian, PT, DPT, OCS
10725 Zelzah Ave #B, Granada Hills 91344
(818) 832-8383
dpoladian@progressivept.net 

LOS ANGELES 

Balance Disorders Institute of Los Angeles
6360 Wilshire Blvd., #302, L.A. 90048
(323) 852-1768
info@balancetherapy.com 

Re+Active Physical Therapy
11500 W. Olympic Blvd, #415, L.A. 90064
(424) 225-1845
info@re-activept.com 

Studio Brava Physical Therapy & Wellness
Cristina Popescu
11110 Ohio Ave #105, L.A. 90025
(310) 775-1609 

PALMDALE 

Progressive Physical Therapy, Christine Mies, PT - Clinical Director
450 W Palmdale Blvd, Palmdale 93551
(661) 273-5333
cmies@progressivept.net 

PASADENA 

Arroyo Physical Therapy, Nancy D. Russell, PWR therapist
1720 E. Washington Blvd.,#208
(626) 593-2283, nancy@arroyopt.com 

Bodyscape Integrative Physical Therapy
3018 E. Colorado Blvd, #100, Pasadena 91107
(626) 449-3900
info@bodyscapept.com 

InCourage Physical Therapy
1222 N Fair Oaks, #150 (inside CPG Gymnastics)
info@incouragept.com
(626) 722-8032 

SANTA MONICA 

Rehab Specialists
2730 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 533, Santa Monica
(310) 273-0877
info@rehabspecialistsinc.net 

Santa Monica Physical Therapy, Helen Evans, PT, DPT
1821 Wilshire Blvd. Ste 400, Santa Monica
(310) 828-2188
haevans7@gmail.com

SOUTH PASADENA 

​​NeuroSport Physical Therapy
625 Fair Oaks Ave, Ste 255, South Pasadena, CA 91030
Phone: (626) 737-6735
Ptneurosport.com

TARZANA 

Progressive Physical Therapy, Brian Hohl, PT, DPT, OCS - Clinical Director
19510 Ventura Blvd #106, Tarzana 91356
(818) 996-1725
bhohl@progressivept.net 

TORRANCE 

Re+Active Physical Therapy
3848 W. Carson Street, #110, Torrance 90503
info@re-activept.com
(424) 488-3191 

VALENCIA 

Progressive Physical Therapy, Shelly Cloughley, PT, DPT, CSCS
25949 The Old Rd, Valencia 91381
(661) 254-0077
scloughley@progressivept.net 

Personal Trainers for Parkinson’s

Training for All Ages

Certified personal trainer Jonathan Rose specializes in working with people with Parkinson's (among other populations); does offer in-home fitness training (he covers a fairly large area)
jonathan@trainingforallages.com
(310) 717-2940

Lori Michiel Fitness

Lori Michiel Fitness has a team of trainers who work with people with Parkinson's. They offer in-person and Zoom sessions and cover much of Los Angeles County.
(818) 620-1442

Parkinson's Wellness Recovery (PWR!)‍

PWR! maintains a searchable listing of professionals - therapists and fitness instructors - who have been certified in their PWR!Moves program for people with Parkinson's.

SmartXPD

Personal trainer and certified strength and conditioning specialist Patrick LoSasso specializes in working with people with Parkinson's, and has worked with the community for many years. He offers online group classes and individual training. (Patrick also serves as the President of PCLA's board of directors). Patrick@SmartXPD.com
(323) 422-9794

Rehabilitation Resources

Acute Rehabilitation at Southern California Hospital Culver City

The Acute Rehabilitation Unit (ARU) at Southern California Hospital Culver City offers a more intense program of rehabilitation therapy and nursing after hospital discharge in order to return people living with Parkinson’s to the highest level of independence possible.

Mental Health Support

Warm Line

The Warm Line provides accessible mental health support via phone and web chat to anyone in need. Some concerns callers share are challenges with interpersonal relationships, anxiety, pain, depression, finances, alcohol/drug use, etc.

Music Resources

Familiar Treasures

Therapeutic music for memory care, healing, and peace.

Music in Medicine

Pianist Tony Arant plays for patients and speaks about serving as a music practitioner in Baylor University Medical Center’s (Dallas, TX) Arts in Medicine program.

Music Mends Minds

Music Mends Minds creates musical support groups for individuals with Alzheimer’s, dementia, Parkinson’s, traumatic brain injury, PTSD, and other neurological disorders.

For Care Partners

Every Victory Counts Manual, for Care Partners

Order a free copy online or call 866.358.0285 

You, Your Loved One, and Parkinson’s Disease: Advice from Lonnie Ali and the Michael J. Fox Foundation

USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology

The USC Family Caregiver Support Center offers a wealth of resources for family caregivers, including caregiver education, tips, support groups, and more.

National Caregiver Action Network

The National Caregiver Action Network offers online forums for caregiver support and a Family Caregiver Toolbox.

The Caregiver Space

The Caregiver Space is an active community offering personal stories, articles of interest, an email newsletter, and more.

Family Caregiver Alliance

The Family Caregiver Alliance offers resources, including an online community and virtual caregiver support groups.

Los Angeles County’s Family Caregiver Support Program

Los Angeles County’s Family Caregiver Support Program provides support to family caregivers who qualify.

Other Resources

Cars2Charities

PCLA is now active in the Cars2Charities program! Cars2Charities accepts cars for donation, sells them at auction, then donates the proceeds to your charity of choice—in this case, PCLA! Visit PCLA’s Cars2Charities webpage for more information and to get started.

Nursing Home Abuse Center

The organization’s primary focus it to assist those who have experienced nursing home abuse by creating a one-stop shop of information, offering a toll-free number with live medical experts, and helping connect victims to support groups and resources in their communities.