Many Northern and Central California Parkinson’s Disease (PD) support groups have a guest speaker or program planned for September 2017.   Here’s what’s happening at a support group near you…

Note that two groups have changed locations though the meeting days/times remain the same:  the Palo Alto group now meets in Menlo Park at Little House, and the Tracy group has moved.

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.)

Stay cool and hydrated,
Robin Riddle
parkinsons.stanford.edu

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San Jose/Willow Glen
Friday, 9/1, 10am-noon  (speaker starts about 10:20am)
Guest Speaker:  Terry Nellis, Neptune Society
Topic:  Cremation instead of a casket
RSVP?:  No.

Visalia
Friday, 9/1, 10:30am-noon
Guest Speaker:  Hip Skind, MD, emergency room physician and member of Board, Kaweah Delta Hospital
Topic:  Question and answer
RSVP?:  No.

Lodi
Tuesday, 9/5, 10-11am  (Meeting day change for September only)
Guest Speaker:  Laura Sperry, RN, UC Davis Dept. of Neurology
Topic:  DBS overview and new technology providers
RSVP?:  No.

Roseville
Tuesday, 9/5, 1:30-3pm
Guest Speaker:  Kimberly Kinney, SLP, speech pathologist, Sutter Roseville Rehab Services
Topic:  General benefits for PD patients to see a speech pathologist
RSVP?:  No.

Soquel (Santa Cruz County)
Wednesday, 9/6, 1-2:30pm
Guest Speaker:  Salima Brillman, MD, movement disorders specialist, The Parkinson’s Institute, Sunnyvale
Topic:  PD Psychosis
RSVP?:  No.

Chico
Wednesday, 9/6, 1:30-3pm
Guest Speaker:  Erin Edwards, PT, Enloe Hospital Rehab
Topic:  PD exercise
RSVP?:  No.

Brentwood
Wednesday, 9/6, 6:30-8pm  (New meeting day)
Guest Speaker:  Salima Brillman, MD, movement disorders specialist, The Parkinson’s Institute, Sunnyvale
Topic:  PD Psychosis
RSVP?:  No.

Fresno
Saturday, 9/9, 10am-noon
Program:  Discussion groups – those with PD and caregivers
RSVP?:  No.

Berkeley PD Active Forum
Saturday, 9/9, 10:30am-12:30pm
Guest Speaker:  Max Merkow, MD, neurosurgeon, Walnut Creek
Topic:  Deep brain stimulation for PD – rationale, evaluation, and emerging technology
RSVP?:  Required.  Email PD Active, pdaforum@pdactive.org
Fee:  $10 donation

Yuba City (Tri-Counties)
Monday, 9/11, 1-2pm
Guest Speaker:  Paulla Hyatt-McIntire, attorney
Topics:  Medi-Cal eligibility, recovery, tips to prevent elder abuse, and estate planning decisions
RSVP?:  No.

Gilroy
Monday, 9/11, noon-1:30pm
Program:  Panel of group members discussing various stages of PD
RSVP?:  No.

Lakeport
Monday, 9/11, 2-3:30pm
Guest Speaker:  Stephanie Fiola, RN, AbbVie
Topic:  Treatment for advanced Parkinson’s
RSVP?:  No.

Pacific Grove (Monterey County)
Tuesday, 9/12, 3-4:30pm
Guest Speaker:  Peter Lin, MD, movement disorders specialist, Valley Parkinson Clinic, Los Gatos
Topic:  New developments in PD
RSVP?:  No.

San Francisco/Kaiser
Tuesday, 9/12, 4:30-6pm
Guest Speaker:  Judy Leash, Dance for PD
Topic:  Dance for Parkinson’s
RSVP?:  No.

Palo Alto Young Onset Parkinson’s
Tuesday, 9/12, 6:30-8pm
Guest Speaker:  Melanie Lising, MD, movement disorders specialist, Stanford
Topic:  Deep brain stimulation – past, present, and future
RSVP?:  Yes, if this is your first time attending.  Please RSVSP to Martha Gardner, group leader, mgapda@gmail.com, at least one day in advance

Menlo Park/Little House  (New meeting location!  No longer at Avenidas in Palo Alto.)
Wednesday, 9/13, 2-3:30pm
Guest Speaker:  Salima Brillman, MD, movement disorders specialist, The Parkinson’s Institute, Sunnyvale
Topic:  Parkinson’s hallucinations and delusions – overview and treatment
RSVP?:  No.

Sacramento/South Area
Thursday, 9/14, 1-2:30pm
Guest Speaker:  Quinn Monsma, Medtronic
Topic:  Deep brain stimulation
RSVP?:  No.

Millbrae/Magnolia
Thursday, 9/14, 1:30-3pm
Guest Speaker:  Salima Brillman, MD, movement disorders specialist, The Parkinson’s Institute, Sunnyvale
Topic:  PD – more than motor symptoms
RSVP?:  No.

Walnut Creek (Mt. Diablo)
Saturday, 9/16, 9am-noon  (speaker 10:45am-11:45am)
Guest Speaker:  Marilyn Stebbins, PharmD, UCSF School of Pharmacy
Topic:  All you ever wanted to know about pharmacy
RSVP?:  No.

Sacramento Post-DBS Class/Kaiser
Monday, 9/18, 10am-noon
Topic:  Emotional wellness
RSVP?:  Yes, required.  Contact Kaiser Neuroscience, phone 916-973-6860

Lincoln
Tuesday, 9/19, 10-11am
Guest Speaker:  Kimberly Lanni, PhD, neuropsychologist, Kaiser Roseville
Topic:  How cognition can impact motor symptoms in PD
RSVP?:  No.

Auburn
Tuesday, 9/19, 1:30-3pm
Guest Speaker:  Suzanne Mortensen, ADT Alert Systems
Topics:  Newest technology in medical alert systems and preventing falls
RSVP?:  No.

San Jose/The Villages
Tuesday, 9/19, 2-3pm, Cribari Conference Room
Guest Speaker:  Jacque Duvall, behavioral health instructor, Kaiser Santa Teresa
Topic:  Sleep and insomnia
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.

Merced
Thursday, 9/21, 10am-noon
Guest Speaker:  Lisa Clawson, LVN, HealthSouth Rehabilitation, Modesto
Topic:  Rehab services for PD
RSVP?:  No.

Mill Valley (Marin County)
Friday, 9/22, 1-3pm (guest speaker from 1-2pm)
Guest Speaker:  Catherine Printz, DPT, physical therapist, UCSF
Topic:  Exercise is for everyone
RSVP?:  No.

Fremont
Monday, 9/25, 7-9:30pm
Guest Speaker:  Cynthia Eaton, movement class instructor, Kaiser Hayward
Topic:  Exercise for PD
RSVP?:  No.

Woodland
Tuesday, 9/26, 1-2:30pm
Guest Speaker:  Stephanie Fiola, RN, AbbVie
Topic:  Treatment for advanced Parkinson’s
RSVP?:  No.