The Institute for Music and Neurological Function Receives Grant

The Institute for Music and Neurologic Function (IMNF) has received a generous grant of $13,000 from the Parkinson’s Foundation. The grant would allow for the program to be held more frequently throughout the week and fund research initiatives that can better serve community members and their caregivers who are affected by Parkinson’s Disease.
Music Has Power® for Parkinson’s PD is a hybrid program led by a board-certified music therapist that’s offered both in-person and online as a weekly music therapy program. These programs are focused on enhancing and maintaining motor, cognitive, communication, and emotional wellbeing in people with Parkinson’s.

Music, particularly rhythm, can become a template for organizing a series of movements and empower those with Parkinson’s to move more freely. This process is not automatic. The rhythm must stimulate the impulse or will to move in the Parkinson’s patient for the intention to transfer into real movement. Due to this, the music therapist will explore various rhythmic patterns or musical styles with the patient to establish which patterns will help with walking, balance, and movement in general. Best practices derived from the program will be shared with rehabilitation professionals and others in the Parkinson’s community. Participants will learn how to use music effectively in their daily routines and will actively participate in music-based activities each week that will focus on balance, range of motion, voice volume and clarity, and overall emotional health.

IMNF, co-founded in 1995 by Dr. Oliver Sacks and Dr. Concetta Tomaino, has long been a pioneer in the research of music and brain health as well as a provider of innovative music therapy services. IMNF is driven by over 40 years of clinical observations on the actual effects of music on individuals who have experienced different types of physical and neurological trauma. The IMNF’s Music has Power® Program for PD uses singing and music-based movement activities to enhance overall wellness in people with PD.

Says Dr. Tomaino, “The generous support from the Parkinson’s Foundation Community Grants will enable us to expand this program to three times a week including both in-person and online formats to provide the best possible benefit to those with PD and their care partners. The funding also supports research on the overall benefits of the program.” Those interested should contact: imnf@wartburg.org

“Thanks to the Parkinson’s Foundation, IMNF is giving the Parkinson’s community of greater Metro NY and Lower Westchester an opportunity to fight back against this disease,” said President David Gentner. “My thanks to Dr. Connie Tomaino and her staff for their efforts in this area.”

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About Wartburg

Wartburg, located in Westchester County, NY, offers integrated, comprehensive senior residential and healthcare services. Unlike conventional retirement communities, Wartburg provides a wide range of services to both residents living on their beautiful 34-acre campus and people in their own homes. From independent, assisted living, and award-winning nursing home care to inpatient/outpatient rehabilitation, home care, and adult day care services, their continuing care approach has earned them a trusted reputation in Westchester. Wartburg also provides caregiver support at every stage with an array of options to find the level of care that considers the whole family. Wartburg has consistently been recognized with industry accolades and most recently was named one of the “Best Nursing Homes in New York State” by Newsweek.

About IMNF

The IMNF is a not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) organization. Founded in 1995, the IMNF is driven by over 35 years of clinical observations on the actual effects of music on individuals who have different types of physical and neurological disorders. Directed by renowned music therapist Dr. Concetta M. Tomaino, the IMNF conducts research on the relationship between music and the brain, provides patients with music therapy, and offers our professional peers around the world the latest music therapy education and training information about best practices. Through the scientific exploration of music and the brain, the IMNF seeks to establish new knowledge and develop more effective music therapy treatments to awaken, stimulate and heal through the extraordinary power of music.

About Parkinson’s Foundation

Parkinson’s Foundation community grants further the health, wellness, and education of people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) across the nation. These grants support community-based education and outreach programs that address unmet needs in the Parkinson’s community. The Parkinson’s Foundation award $1 million in community grants in the 2022 grant cycle, ranging from a minimum of $10,000 to a maximum of $25,000 per grant recipient. Since 2011, the Parkinson’s Foundation has invested more than $7.4 million to support 579 community-based programs that make life better for people living with Parkinson’s Disease.