For Directors of Rehabilitation in Skilled Nursing and Senior Living.
Families facing a Parkinson’s disease (PD) diagnosis are actively searching for specialized care. They are asking physicians where to find Parkinson’s‑specific rehabilitation and scanning online listings for facilities that understand movement disorders and neurological complexity. Every day, many of them are choosing facilities that prominently offer LSVT BIG® and LSVT LOUD® as evidence‑based treatments for Parkinson’s disease.
The critical question: Are they finding YOUR facility?
The Care and Access Gap
Parkinson’s disease now affects a large and growing number of Americans, yet most skilled nursing and senior living communities still lack Parkinson’s‑specific programming. Even fewer employ therapists with advanced training in this complex neurological condition. For people living with Parkinson’s disease, stroke, and conditions like Lewy Body Dementia, that gap translates to faster functional decline, increased fall risk, communication breakdown, and social isolation.
For rehab leaders, it is also a strategic vulnerability. Facilities that fail to offer specialized neurological programming are losing residents and referrals to competitors that do.
The Referral Stream You Cannot See
Physicians, patients, and families routinely use the LSVT Global Clinician Directory to locate facilities that provide specialized Parkinson’s care. They specifically search for LSVT BIG and LSVT LOUD, knowing these programs are delivered by therapists trained in Parkinson’s‑specific movement and communication needs.
Facilities listed in this directory are the ones receiving targeted referrals from neurologists, movement disorder specialists, and support groups.
If your facility is not listed, you are effectively invisible to this entire referral stream, regardless of your general rehab quality. Admissions teams may work hard to maintain census, but without visible evidence of specialized Parkinson’s programming, you may be losing residents to facilities that have invested in LSVT services and are easy to find.
Today, you are not just competing on amenities or generic rehab. Families affected by Parkinson’s disease are actively seeking demonstrated expertise—and they are willing to travel to get it.
Why LSVT? More Than “Good Therapy”
LSVT BIG and LSVT LOUD are intensive, Parkinson’s‑specific protocols backed by decades of research and clinical use. They target core motor and voice deficits that often persist after standard therapy, including reduced amplitude of movement, impaired balance, and decreased vocal loudness and facial expression. Outcomes include measurable improvements in mobility, balance, communication, and quality of life—results that matter deeply to patients and families.
Equally important, these programs offer something families consistently look for: hope and visible change. Clinicians report seeing individuals who felt defeated by their diagnosis regain confidence, re‑engage socially, and return to meaningful activities after completing LSVT BIG and LOUD. Families remember and talk about these transformations, strengthening your reputation far beyond one episode of care.
From that very first ‘pilot program’ session, I have seen amazing things happen! We have seen our persons served improve in gait, balance, communication, fine motor skills, social skills, affect….and the list goes on! People are living again! – Tammy Miller, DOR at On With Life Outpatient Center
Building Your Program: A Realistic First Step
Many Directors of Rehabilitation (DORs) assume a specialized Parkinson’s program requires new equipment, significant capital, or large staffing changes.
In reality, the core elements are straightforward. LSVT Global recommends starting with three key certified team members:
- One Speech‑Language Pathologist for LSVT LOUD
- One Physical Therapist for LSVT BIG
- One Occupational Therapist for LSVT BIG
With this core team, your facility can offer comprehensive, evidence‑based Parkinson’s care that clearly differentiates you in your market. Certification is rigorous but manageable, following a structured curriculum that ensures therapists can deliver the protocol with fidelity. Once certified, they join a global network of clinicians and access ongoing education and clinical support.
Built‑In Support for Implementation
Unlike many specialty certifications that leave programs to “figure out the rest,” LSVT Global provides a robust support system to help you launch and grow your program. Resources for certified clinicians and facilities include:
- Marketing and outreach materials: These are tailored to people with Parkinson’s and their families, enabling your team to promote services without creating content from scratch.
- Prepared presentation materials: Access ready made slide decks for local Parkinson’s support groups, physician practices, and community organizations, making community education turnkey.
- Physician referral tools: Includes a professionally written referral letter to educate neurologists and primary care physicians about your program.
- Educational resources: Comprehensive fact sheets and educational materials for families and caregivers that reinforce your role as a trusted resource, not just a provider of therapy sessions.
- Clinician Directory listing: LSVT certified clinicians are listed in the LSVT Global database, positioning your facility where thousands of families and physicians are already looking for specialized care.
This infrastructure is designed to help you move from “we offer a protocol” to “we have a recognizable, thriving Parkinson’s program.”
Return on Investment (ROI), Culture, and Reputation
From a business standpoint, specialized programming opens new referral channels and creates a compelling reason to choose your facility over others. Admissions teams gain a clear, concrete differentiator when families ask what sets your community apart. Parkinson’s‑specific services can support stronger census, higher acuity clinical programs, and deeper relationships with referring neurologists and health systems.
The return on investment does not stop at revenue. Rehab leaders who implement LSVT programming frequently report enhanced staff engagement and satisfaction. When therapists see patients making meaningful, visible gains—walking farther, communicating more clearly, returning to valued roles—it renews professional purpose and helps counter burnout. Over time, your facility can become known as a center of excellence in neurological rehabilitation, not only for Parkinson’s but also for other complex movement and communication disorders.
The return on investment does not stop at revenue. Rehab leaders who implement LSVT programming frequently report enhanced staff engagement and satisfaction. When therapists see patients making meaningful, visible gains—walking farther, communicating more clearly, returning to valued roles—it renews professional purpose and helps counter burnout. Over time, your facility can become known as a center of excellence in neurological rehabilitation, not only for Parkinson’s but also for other complex movement and communication disorders.
The Cost of Waiting
Every month without a specialized Parkinson’s program represents:
- Lost referrals and missed revenue as families choose facilities with visible expertise.
- Community members with Parkinson’s, stroke, or Lewy Body Dementia who are unaware that specialized, intensive therapy could help them function better.
- Caregivers searching for expert support who cannot find it locally and assume it does not exist.
These individuals are already in your market; they are simply going elsewhere—or going without specialized treatment.
“We Don’t See Many PD Patients” is Backwards
A common objection from DORs is: “We don’t see enough people with Parkinson’s to justify a specialized program.” In many cases, the opposite is true: facilities do not see many Parkinson’s patients because they have not positioned themselves as experts. When you invest in certification, list your facility in the LSVT Clinician Directory, and engage with local neurologists and support groups, Parkinson’s referrals follow.
Prevalence data indicate that people with Parkinson’s are in your community now. A visible, structured program signals that your team has the training and commitment to serve them well.
Your Next Move as a Rehab Leader
Implementing a specialized Parkinson’s program is more than adding a line to your brochure. It is a strategic decision to:
- Address a clearly identified community need with an evidence‑based solution.
- Equip your therapy team with tools that can change the trajectory of patients’ lives.
- Strengthen your facility’s market position and referral relationships.
- Build a culture where clinicians see meaningful outcomes and feel proud of their work.
LSVT Global has spent decades refining not only the treatment protocols, but also the education, marketing, and infrastructure needed to help facilities succeed. The need for specialized Parkinson’s care is urgent, and the patients are already seeking these services.
The remaining question for DORs and rehab leaders is whether your facility will be one of the places they can confidently choose.
Ready to explore an LSVT program for your facility? Contact LSVT Global at info@lsvtglobal.com to discuss certification, implementation support, and how to position your team as a trusted resource for people with Parkinson’s disease and other neurological conditions.