October 2025 Newsletter

Blazing New Trails: Brain Fitness, Innovation & Environment in Parkinson's

Our 27th Annual Parkinson's Disease Patient & Care Partner Symposium takes place Saturday, November 22nd at 9AM! Registration is free but required to attend. In-person attendees who drive will have to cover the cost of parking. View the flyer and meet the speakers below.

Ray Dorsey, MD

Dr. Dorsey is the director of the Center for the Brain & the Environment at the Atria Health and Research Institute. He is a dynamic speaker and co-author of Ending Parkinson’s Disease and The Parkinson’s Plan. The first 30 in-person symposium attendees will receive a copy of his book, The Parkinson's Plan (one per family), which details 25 steps to lower the risk of PD.

Dina Katabi, PhD

Professor Katabi is the Thuan and Nicole Pham Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at MIT and director of MIT’s Center for Wireless Networks and Mobile Computing. Her research focuses on innovations in digital health, wireless sensing and applied machine learning. Join us to hear her speak on the use of AI to detect Parkinson's and track its progression.

Lynn Shaughnessy, PsyD, ABPP/CN

Dr. Shaughnessy is a board-certified Clinical Neuropsychologist and Director of Neuropsychology in the Division of Cognitive Neurology at BIDMC. Her clinical expertise centers on cognitive aging and progressive neurological conditions. Her publications highlight the value of neuropsychological evaluation in those with cognitive or behavioral changes and the importance of early diagnosis.

Lissa Kapust, LICSW

Lissa Kapust is a clinical social worker at BIDMC. For 47 years, she has been creating signature exercise and educational programs that have touched the lives of thousands of people with PD. Lissa has received 11 Parkinson’s Foundation grants. Her symposium talk will reflect on her most recent grant and the daunting task of capturing an important life experience in just 55 words!

The Empowering Lyrics of Taylor Swift: Lessons of Resilience

Taylor Swift's narrative lyrical style lends itself to making emotional connections about how we face personal challenges. This inspirational program for people with Parkinson's, led by Laura Becker, takes place on Zoom on October 16th at 2PM. View the flyer or register here.

Parkinson's Foundation Moving Day

BIDMC is proud to partner with the Parkinson's Foundation for Moving Day Boston at DCR Artesani Park on October 4th at 9AM. Join us to honor loved ones, raise awareness, support the Parkinson's Foundation and share the common goal of fighting PD! View the Team BIDMC page or register here.

Managing the Middle Years Meeting

"Managing the Middle Years" brings people with Parkinson’s together to consider the challenges of the PD “middle years,” when medications may no longer be as effective and new symptoms may lead to lifestyle changes. Join us on Zoom on October 22nd at 2PM to "Find Hope." Register here.

Ask the Experts: Care Partner-Focused Webinar

Our next "Ask the Experts" discussion is centered on the care partner perspective, including self-care and advocacy. The hour-long webinar, led by Rebecca Gifford (Care Partner) and Larry Gifford (PwP), will take place virtually on October 20th at 3:30PM. View the flyer and register here.

Learn the Ropes Meeting

This virtual program guides new and existing Parkinson's patients through an overview of the educational, clinical and wellness programs offered by the BIDMC Parkinson's Foundation Center of Excellence. Join us on October 15th at 3PM for a warm welcome. Register here.

DBS Ambassadors Webinar

Join us on Zoom on November 14th at 2PM to learn about deep brain stimulation as a treatment for Parkinson's, essential tremor and dystonia from BIDMC Patient Ambassadors who have undergone the surgery, as well as Drs. Merchant and Aronson. View the flyer and register here.

Ongoing Wellness Programs for Parkinson's and Related Disorders

Below is a list of wellness programs for people with Parkinson's or a related disorder and their care partners. Currently, rock-climbing and pickleball are our only in-person programs. Read about each program on our website. To join a program, contact wellnessworks@bidmc.harvard.edu.

BIDMC WellnessWorks Classes

Join WellnessWorks for access to specialized, online exercise classes for people Parkinson's and related disorders. Classes are taught live on Zoom by instructors trained in the needs of movement disorders. At the time of payment, you may select your membership level (basic or full) and membership length (3-month or annual). If the program fee presents a burden, please contact us.

New to WellnessWorks? Email wellnessworks@bidmc.harvard.edu to inquire about a free trial!

JCC Boston Wellness Programs

In collaboration with BIDMC, the JCC Greater Boston hosts a variety of in-person and online exercise classes, including Cycling, Tai Chi and Table Tennis. View the JCC Fall Flyer and contact wellness@jccgb.org or 617-558-6459 to register.

Light Therapy to Investigate the Efficacy of Home-based Treatments of Parkinson’s Disease (LIGHT-PD)

Are you on stable Parkinson’s medication but wish you could do better? Have you noticed your quality of life slipping, or do you struggle with fatigue, mood, sleep, or other non-motor issues?  

There is an investigational, non-drug therapy without serious side effects that may offer relief, and we need your help to find out! We’re looking for people like you to participate in this 7-month, at-home study to see if this investigational treatment can improve quality of life for those living with PD. Qualified participants will receive $500. No additional pills, surgery, or even doctor’s visits required. The entire study will be in the comfort of your home with Zoom video interactions with our medical team. 

Fun moments celebrating Hannah Babcock's birthday! We are lucky to have Hannah as a Clinical Trials Specialist for our Parkinson's disease trials.

Five team members represented our Parkinson's Foundation Center of Excellence at the 2025 Parkinson’s Disease Clinical Conference in NV!

Our interdisciplinary team recently gathered for a group photo, where we welcomed our newest social worker, Gillian Lawlor!