

Many Northern and Central California Parkinson’s Disease (PD) support groups have guest speakers or programs planned for May 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.
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 great outdoors,
Robin Riddle
parkinsons.stanford.edu
*********
Lodi
Monday, 5/1, 10-11am
Guest Speaker: Kim Garcia, speech therapist, Lodi Health Outpatient Center
Topic: Speech issues of PD patients and coping strategies
RSVP?: No.
San Andreas (Calaveras County)
Tuesday, 5/2, 10am-noon (program starts about 10:30am)
Program: Divide into two groups – caregivers and those with PD
RSVP?: No.
Placerville
Tuesday, 5/2, 1:30-3pm
Guest Speaker: Peter Schulz, Opus Studios, Pollock Pines
Program: Video presentation of PD info available on the web
RSVP?: No.
Roseville
Tuesday, 5/2, 1:30-3pm
Guest Speaker: Mary Helen Ivers, community outreach volunteer,
Roseville Police Dept.
Topic: Senior scams and personal safety
RSVP?: No.
Soquel (Santa Cruz County)
Wednesday, 5/3, 1-2:30pm
Program: Panel of those with and without PD
Topic: Help – who, what, when, where and why
RSVP?: No.
Chico
Wednesday, 5/3, 1:30-3pm
Guest Speaker: Spokesperson, Passages Caregiver Resource Center
Topic: Resources available to PD patients and caregivers
RSVP?: No.
San Lorenzo
Thursday, 5/4, 10-11:30am
Guest Speaker: Priti Chitale, physical therapist, Kaiser Union City
RSVP?: No.
San Jose/Willow Glen
Friday, 5/5, 10am-noon (program starts about 10:20am)
Guest Speaker: Randy Hoffman, SLP, speech therapist, The Parkinson’s
Institute, Sunnyvale
Topic: Speech therapy for PD
RSVP?: No.
Visalia
Friday, 5/5, 10:30am-noon
Discussion Topic: How PD has impacted our lives (both patients and
caregivers)
RSVP?: No.
Santa Rosa (Sonoma County)
Saturday, 5/6, 1-3:15pm (guest speaker 1-2pm)
Guest Speaker: Tess Lorraine, life transitions coach
Topic: Medical advocacy and advanced directives in PD
RSVP?: No.
Yuba City (Tri-Counties)
Monday, 5/8, 1-2:30pm
Guest Speakers: Sal Alvia, Acadia Pharmaceuticals and Rita Gandhy, MD, movement disorder specialist
Topic: New Parkinson’s medication
RSVP?: No.
Bakersfield
Tuesday, 5/9, 2-4pm
Guest Speaker: Jeri Williams, MD, movement disorder specialist, Bakersfield
Topic: New medications to treat PD
RSVP?: No.
Pacific Grove (Monterey County)
Tuesday, 5/9, 3-4:30pm
Guest Speaker: Osiris Salgado, case manager, Central Coast Quality of
Life Programs
Topic: Services for individuals and families living with PD
RSVP?: No.
Palo Alto Young Onset PD
Tuesday, 5/10, 6:30-8pm
Guest Speaker: Anne Hall, JD, retired employment attorney
Topic: Employment and PD – reasonable accommodation, disability, and
other issues
RSVP?: Preferred, if this is your first time. RSVP at least 24 hours
in advance to Martha Gardner, group leader.
Palo Alto/Avenidas
Wednesday, 5/10, 2-3:30pm
Guest Speaker: Melanie Lising, MD, movement disorder specialist, Stanford
Topic: Surgical treatments for PD – what you need to know about current
and upcoming approaches
RSVP?: No.
Sonoma/Vintage House
Thursday, 5/11, 10-11am
Guest Speaker: Bianca Molle, Metamorphix Consultation
Topic: Qigong for PD
RSVP?: No.
Millbrae/Magnolia
Thursday, 5/11, 1:30-3pm
Guest Speaker: Theresa Najjar, PT, Synaptic Physical Therapy
Topic: Sleep and PD – helpful hints
RSVP?: No.
Stockton
Thursday, 5/11, 1:30-3pm
Guest Speaker: Melody Tolmie, NMT, Music Therapy with Melody
Topic: Benefits of music therapy for persons with PD
RSVP?: No.
Fresno
Saturday, 5/13, 10am-noon
Guest Speaker: Susan Rodriguez, education development coordinator,
Valley Caregiver Resource Center, Fresno
Topic: In-home care and adult day care
RSVP?: No.
Berkeley
Saturday, 5/13, 10:30am-12:30pm
Program: PD Active Town Hall where a PD Active update will be shared
RSVP?: Yes, required. Contact PD Active.
Sacramento Post-DBS Class/Kaiser
Monday, 5/15, 10am-noon
Topic: Life after DBS
RSVP?: Yes, required. Contact Kaiser Neuroscience, phone 916-973-6860
Lincoln
Tuesday, 5/16, 10-11am
Guest Speaker: Debbie Eernisse, RYT, personal trainer, Fit Deb, Davis
Topic: Improving the aging body
RSVP?: No.
Elk Grove
Wednesday, 5/17, 10-11:30am
Guest Speaker: Paul McCarthy, fitness trainer, Sacramento
Topic: PWR Moves
RSVP?: No.
Sunnyvale DBS (Deep Brain Stimulation)
Wednesday, 5/17, 1:30-3:30pm
Guest Speaker: Edith Chiang, qigong instructor
Topic: Dayan (Wildgoose) Qigong
RSVP?: No.
Modesto
Wednesday, 5/17, 1:30-3:30pm
Guest Speaker: Benjamin Remington, MD, neurosurgeon
RSVP?: No.
Davis
Thursday, 5/18, 1:30-3pm
Guest Speaker: Stacey Ewing, DPT, Sutter Health Davis
Topic: LSVT BIG
RSVP?: No.
Hollister (new meeting day/time as of May 2017)
Friday, 5/19, 1:30-3:30pm
Guest Speaker: Christina Andrade, family consultant, Del Mar Caregiver
Resource Center
Topic: Introduction to the services of Del Mar CRC
RSVP?: No.
Walnut Creek (Mt. Diablo)
Saturday, 5/20, 9am-noon (speaker 10:45am-11:45am)
Guest Speaker: Maxwell Merkow, MD, neurosurgeon, Bay Area
Neurosciences, Walnut Creek
Topic: DBS for PD – rationale, evaluation, and emerging technology
RSVP?: No.