Some Northern and Central California Parkinson’s Disease (PD) support groups have guest speakers or programs planned for April 2017.  Here’s what’s happening at a support group near you…

Do you need to know the support group meeting location, day/time,
contact info, and how to RSVP if required?  Please refer to the Stanford
Parkinson’s website for all Northern and Central California support groups:

parkinsons.stanford.edu/support_groups.html

What does it mean if a support group you sometimes attend isn’t listed
below?  It might mean that the group doesn’t have a guest speaker or
specific program, the group doesn’t have its regular meeting this month,
the group has a social event, or that the guest speaker info didn’t
arrive from the group in time to be added here. Last but not least, it
could mean that I messed up.  If you are not a regular attendee of a
group, it’s always a good idea to call the group leader to confirm the
meeting!  (See the link above for the group leader’s contact info.)

Enjoy the sun,
Robin Riddle
parkinsons.stanford.edu

**********************

Santa Rosa (Sonoma County)
Saturday, 4/1, 1-3:15pm  (guest speaker 1-2pm)
Guest Speaker:  Alisa Liguori, PhD, psychologist, Santa Rosa
Topic:  Mindfulness practice with PD
RSVP?:  No.

Lodi
Monday, 4/3, 10-11am
Guest Speaker:  Linda Trettin, PhD, clinical neuropsychologist, Mercy
San Juan and private practice, Folsom
Topic:  Challenges that PD places on relationships
RSVP?:  No.

San Andreas (Calaveras County)
Tuesday, 4/4, 10am-noon  (program starts about 10:30am)
Guest Speaker #1:  Kathie Toepel, Common Ground Senior Services, San Andreas
Topic #1:  Services in Amador and Calaveras Counties
Program #2:  Finish discussion of “Parkinson’s for Dummies” – what’s the
most important thing you will remember
RSVP?:  No.

Roseville
Tuesday, 4/4, 1:30-3pm
Guest Speaker:  Erica Byrd, MD, movement disorder specialist, Sutter
Roseville
Topic:  Q&A
RSVP?:  No.

Soquel (Santa Cruz County)
Wednesday, 4/5, 1-2:30pm
Guest Speaker:  Rex Hsei, MD, ophthalmologist, Bay Eye Medical Group,
Santa Cruz
Topic:  The effect of aging and Parkinson’s on vision
RSVP?:  No.

Chico
Wednesday, 4/5, 1:30-3pm
Guest Speaker:  Tom Bragdon, PharmD, pharmacist
Topic:  Commonly used Parkinson’s medications
RSVP?:  No.

San Jose/Willow Glen
Friday, 4/7, 10am-noon (program starts about 10:20am)
Program:  DBS without the BS – panel discussion about deep brain stimulation
RSVP?:  No.

Visalia
Friday, 4/7, 10:30am-noon
Guest Speaker:  Ronald Ziman, MD, movement disorder specialist,
Neurocommunity Foundation, West Hills
RSVP?:  No.

Fresno
Saturday, 4/8, 10am-noon
Guest Speaker:  Claire Dias, RD, food and nutrition expert, Clovis
Topic:  Dietary needs of those with Parkinson’s
RSVP?:  No.

Yuba City (Tri County)
Monday, 4/10, 1-2:30pm
Guest Speaker:  April Shirley, client relations, Partners in Care, Auburn
Topic:  Home care
RSVP?:  No.

Lakeport
Monday, 4/10, 2-3:30pm
Guest Speaker:  Jana Hesselton, SLP, speech therapist, Sutter Lakeside,
Lakeport
Topic:  Speech issues in Parkinson’s and how therapy can help
RSVP?:  No.

Auburn Caregivers
Tuesday, 4/11, noon
Guest Speaker:  Dorene Fanning, Del Oro Caregiver Resource Center
Topic:  Recipe for caregiver’s sleep – helping caregivers and their
loved ones rest easy
RSVP:  No.

Bakersfield
Tuesday, 4/11, 2-4pm
Guest Speaker:  Christina Barret, family consultant, Valley Caregiver
Resource Center
Topic:  Being a caregiver and resources for caregivers
RSVP?:  No.

Pacific Grove (Monterey County)
Tuesday, 4/11, 3-4:30pm
Program:  Discussion groups – PWP and care partners
RSVP?:  No.

San Francisco/Kaiser
Tuesday, 4/11, 4:30-6pm
Guest Speaker:  Kim (Woolley) Voronin, Rock Steady Boxing SF
Topic:  Forced exercise – minimizing PD symptoms through non-sparring,
non-contact boxing training
RSVP?:  No.

Palo Alto Young Onset PD
Tuesday, 4/11, 6:30-8pm
Guest Speaker:  Gayle Deutsch, PhD, neuropsychologist, Stanford
Topic:  Depression and apathy in PD
RSVP?:  Preferred, if this is your first time.  RSVP at least 24 hours
in advance to Martha Gardner, group leader, email mgapda@gmail.com.

Palo Alto/Avenidas
Wednesday, 4/12, 2-3:30pm
Guest Speaker:  James Tetrud, MD, movement disorder specialist, Stanford
Topic:  Medications for treating PD motor symptoms – what’s old, what’s
new, and what’s in the pipeline
RSVP?:  No.

Sonoma/Vintage House
Thursday, 4/13, 10-11am
Guest Speaker:  Alida Westaburg, RD, dietitian, Sonoma Valley Hospital
Topic:  Maximizing nutrition in PD
RSVP?:  No.

Millbrae/Magnolia
Thursday, 4/13, 1:30-3pm
Guest Speaker:  Aaron Daley, UCSF PD Clinic
Topic:  Non-motor symptoms of PD
RSVP?:  No.

Redding
Annual PD Conference
Friday, 4/14, 1-6pm
First United Methodist Church
Free
RSVP?:  Required to Kim Hawkins, group leader, email
kim.reddingpsg@yahoo.com, call/text 530-945-7628

Eureka
Friday, April 14, 3-4pm
Guest Speaker:  Mariellen Jurkovich, director, Humboldt Patient Resource Center
Topic:  Cannabis use for Parkinson’s
RSVP?:  No.

Walnut Creek (Mt. Diablo)
Saturday, 4/15, 9am-noon  (program 10:45am-noon)
Program:  Break into four groups – men with PD, women with PD,
caregivers only, and DBS (deep brain stimulation)
RSVP?:  No.

Lincoln
Tuesday, 4/18, 10-11am
Guest Speakers:  Erica Byrd, MD, movement disorder specialist, Sutter
Roseville, and Quinn Monsma, Medtronic
Topic:  Deep brain stimulation

Auburn
Tuesday, 4/18, 1:30-3pm
Guest Speaker:  Donna Brown, RN, Hospice of the Foothills
Topic:  Hospice – services, philosophy, and advance planning
RSVP?:  No.

Sunnyvale DBS (Deep Brain Stimulation)
Wednesday, April 19, 1:30-3:30pm
Guest Speaker:  Fahd Kahn, MD, neurosurgeon, California NeuroInstitute, San Jose
RSVP?:  No.

Modesto
Wednesday, 4/19, 1:30-3:30pm
Guest Speaker:  Lori Dodd, PT, physical therapist and PWR! instructor, Modesto
Program:  Demonstration of PWR!Moves
RSVP?:  No.

Palo Alto – Special Program of Palo Alto Support Group
Wednesday, 4/19, 2:30-4pm
Avenidas Senior Center, 450 Bryant
“Lewy Body Dementia Caregiving – Insights and Experience”
Guest Speaker:  Christina Irving, LCSW, Family Caregiver Alliance
Plus panel discussion with some LBD caregivers
Note:  “Lewy body dementia” includes PD Dementia and Dementia
with Lewy bodies
RSVP?:  No.

Sacramento Post-DBS Class/UC Davis
Wednesday, 4/19, 2:30-4:30pm
Guest Speaker:  Fady Girgis, MD, neurosurgeon, UC Davis, Sacramento
Topic:  DBS technology
RSVP?:  Yes, required.  Contact Karla Lindstrom, UCD, email
karla.lindstrom@ucdmc.ucdavis.edu, phone 916-734-6282

Brentwood
Wednesday, 4/19, 6:30-8pm
Program:  Video on “How to start healing your brain and body, starting
with your gut” by Invigorate Physical Therapy
RSVP?:  No.

San Jose/The Villages
Thursday, 4/20, 1-3pm, Cribari Auditorium
Guest Speakers:  Jane and Mwezo, Kujiweza
Program:  Interactive workshop on how to fall, how to get up, and fall
prevention.  Wear comfortable clothing.
RSVP?:  Yes, required if you are not a resident of The Villages. Contact
Alice Pratte, group leader, 408-223-8033, at least 24 hours in advance
to obtain community access.