Stony Brook Medicine Lands $150K Grant to Expand Parkinson's Care Programs

For the hundreds of Long Island families managing Parkinson's disease, the distance between a diagnosis and meaningful support has long been measured in miles and wait lists. A two-year, $150,000 grant from the American Parkinson Disease Association landed by Stony Brook Medicine is designed to shrink both.

The APDA's Information and Referral Center Innovative Project Award will fund expanded programming at two sites: the Parkinson's and Movement Disorders Center at Stony Brook University Hospital in Stony Brook, and the Center for Parkinson's Disease at Stony Brook Southampton Hospital on the East End. Together, the centers already serve more than 600 patients annually and have reached roughly 350 in-person and more than 1,000 virtual participants through their community programming.

Dr. Guy Schwartz, director of the Parkinson's and Movement Disorders Center and medical director for the new grant programming, said the award "reflects the incredible dedication and innovation of our teams," adding that the funding will allow the centers to "broaden our reach, strengthen partnerships, and deliver meaningful support to individuals and families affected by Parkinson's."

The grant will add classes at Stony Brook Southampton Hospital, deepen the center's partnership with HOPEFitness, an organization focused on making fitness accessible for people of all ability levels, and expand services specifically for care partners who shoulder much of the daily burden of Parkinson's management. It will also sustain virtual programming like "Sing Loud for PD," a choral group for patients and caregivers that connects participants statewide each week on Zoom, and arts-based sessions including "Paint for Parkinson's" at the Parrish Art Museum.

The virtual component matters most for East End residents who would otherwise face a long round trip to a specialty clinic for a 60-minute class. Sarah Cohen, the physical therapist who manages the wellness program at Stony Brook Southampton, has noted that limited access to appropriate exercise programs remains one of the largest barriers to slowing Parkinson's progression, and that the Southampton center was built specifically to close that gap for the East End community.

Parkinson's disease is the second-most common neurodegenerative disease in the United States after Alzheimer's, with men 1.5 times more likely to develop it than women.

The APDA has supported Stony Brook's programs since 2018, funding symposiums, community grants, and exercise initiatives. A 2025 APDA community grant already launched a new in-person exercise class near Stony Brook University Hospital; the new award extends that momentum through 2027.

Patients and caregivers looking to enroll in the Southampton center's programs, including the monthly in-person APDA support group held on the second Friday of each month, can reach the center at (631) 726-8600.