During Parkinson’s Disease Awareness month, we’re pleased to showcase the exceptional work being done at the Klein Family Parkinson’s Rehabilitation Center at Jefferson Moss-Magee Rehabilitation. This innovative center integrates research at our Institute with rehabilitative care being delivered at Jefferson. The Klein Family Parkinson’s Rehabilitation Center aims to keep people with Parkinson’s disease active in their daily lives and support their quality of life. Anh-Thu Vu, MD, MS, is the Director-Clinical of the Klein Family Parkinson’s Rehabilitation Center, a Clinical Assistant Professor in Neurology at Thomas Jefferson University, and an Assistant Professor in Neurology at Drexel University. She shares more about her career and her work in our interview.
Can you tell us about your background and how you got interested in movement disorders neurology?
My first time working with people with Parkinson’s disease was as a medical student – I was learning more about research on yoga and exercise for Parkinson’s, and I spent time with the Mark Morris Dance Group in New York as they ran their Dance for PD class. As a former dancer myself, I loved seeing people move and incorporate dance as a therapy. Everyone was so engaged and motivated, and it was beautiful to see. I worked with a fantastic Movement Disorders team at Penn during my residency, and I loved the holistic nature of care. Parkinson’s really affects the whole body, and through my fellowship training at Emory, I learned how to really listen and address the needs of patients and families as they live with this disease.
What do you do in your role as Director-Clinical of the Klein Family Parkinson's Rehabilitation Center?
As the Clinical Director, I provide leadership for the overall direction of the clinic, and a medical perspective on incorporating rehabilitation techniques into the overall treatment plans for people with Parkinson’s Disease. I hope to continue to grow the clinic and expand our reach so that we can truly serve the community of people who live with Parkinson’s.
What are some of the resources and services that the Klein Family Parkinson's Rehabilitation Center provides?
We run a monthly interdisciplinary clinic which allows patients with Parkinson’s to be evaluated by a physical therapist, occupational therapist, and speech language pathologist, all in one afternoon, as well as spend some time consulting with a social worker. As a team, we create a rehabilitation treatment plan for the patient moving forward, and we provide ongoing support as well with check-ins for future needs. We also run a monthly support group, a regular maintenance exercise class, and additional Parkinson’s educational activities for the community. Our research team is actively engaged in recruiting patients for research into novel rehabilitation strategies and other therapies that may improve life for people with Parkinson’s disease.
How does the Klein Family Parkinson's Rehabilitation Center support individuals with Parkinson's disease who are minorities, are from underrepresented groups, and/or are from disadvantaged backgrounds?
Given the location of Jefferson Moss-Magee Rehabilitation in North Philadelphia, we are squarely within a community of need that is often underserved. In addition, the interdisciplinary clinic we run is free to patients, and our social worker actively engages in helping our patients find the resources they need for optimal care.
Can you describe the impacts of your work and the Klein Family Parkinson's Rehabilitation Center?
Our patients speak the most to this – each one has expressed their gratitude and a feeling of empowerment in being able to engage in things that help them fight the disease. For each patient we partner with, we see the benefits of active rehabilitative care. In addition, we have built a community within our support group and exercise class where patients connect with each other and find camaraderie as they go through this journey. We hope to continue to be a true community resource and go-to center for Parkinson’s rehabilitative care for all people in the area living with Parkinson’s disease.
What has it been like working at the Klein Family Parkinson's Rehabilitation Center and collaborating with Jefferson Moss Rehabilitation Research Institute?
It has been a true joy to work with the whole team here – everyone is truly dedicated to the mission to improve care for people with Parkinson’sAs the newest member of the team, they have really been wonderfully welcoming to me and open to continuous improvement on the already amazing work that they do.
How do your interactions with team members from other disciplines (e.g. PT, OT, neuroscience) enhance your work and the patient experience?
Each one of my colleagues has a unique perspective to add from their training background, and we all learn from each other. This knowledge allows me, as one of the co-directors of the center, to leverage our strengths as a group to truly address all of the needs of a person with Parkinson’s. As a result, the patients experience team-based, comprehensive care – they feel listened to as a whole person and feel empowered in having a plan to manage all of their needs moving forward.
Is there something you would like people to know about Parkinson's research or care during Parkinson's Awareness Month?
I think people should know that Parkinson’s is a disease that can be managed – while it can cause bothersome symptoms and other difficulties, this is a disease people will LIVE with. That is one of our main goals of treatment, to allow people to continue to live a fulfilling life to the best of their ability. The key to this is assembling a great treatment team, which is what we are lucky to have here at the Klein Family Parkinson’s Rehabilitation Center.