Start off the new year by attending a Parkinson’s Disease (PD) support group meeting near you!  Many Northern and Central California PD support groups have meetings in January.  See the list below… 

One special note:  The Palo Alto group (meeting on January 8th) changed locations to a new venue downtown, as of a couple of months ago.   

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?  Most likely it means that the group is having an open discussion (so no speaker or special program).  It might mean that the guest speaker info didn’t arrive from the group in time to be added here.  Or, 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 this list for the group leader’s contact info.)

Stay warm,
Robin Riddle
parkinsons.stanford.edu

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

San Jose – Willow Glen
Friday, 1/3, 10am-noon  (program begins about 10:15am)
Guest Speaker:  Diana Blum, MD, neurologist
Topic:  Gut, nutrition, and PD
RSVP?:  No.

Lodi
Monday, 1/6, 10am-noon
Guest Speaker:  Kenneth Mullen, MD (retired), Lodi
Topic:  Palliative care and hospice care
RSVP?:  No.

Placerville
Tuesday, 1/7, 1:30-3pm
Guest Speaker #1:  Clara Yang, attorney
Topic #1:  Advantages and disadvantages of trusts and wills
Guest Speaker #2:  Pamela Kimmel, enrolled agent
Topic #2:  Tax deductions and issues that face families with PD
RSVP?:  No.

Roseville
Tuesday, 1/7, 1:30-3pm
Guest Speaker:  Esther Munoz, director of patient experiences, San Juan Medical Center
Topic:  PD patients not getting medications on time
RSVP?:  No.

San Francisco YOPD (Young Onset PD)/UCSF
Tuesday, 1/7, 6:30-8pm
Guest Speaker:  Paul Cannon, PhD, group member
Topic:  Getting involved in PD research
RSVP?:  Yes, to Monica Volz

Chico
Wednesday, 1/8, 1:30-3pm  (Special day for January only)
Program:  Chair exercises.  Then discussion of 2020 topics and presenters.
RSVP?:  No.

Soquel (Santa Cruz County)
Wednesday, 1/8, 2-3:30pm  (Special day for January only)
Program:  Parkinson’s friendly games
RSVP?:  No.

Palo Alto/Channing House  (new meeting location!)
Wednesday, 1/8, 2:30-4pm
Guest Speaker:  Brent Bluett, MD, movement disorder specialist, Stanford
Topic:  Status of PD research – is there hope?
RSVP?:  No.

Sacramento/Natomas
Thursday, 1/9, 10am-noon
Program at 11am:  Break into two groups – caregivers and PwP
RSVP?:  No.

Half Moon Bay
Thursday, 1/9, 1:15-2:15pm  (Special day/time for January only)
Guest Speaker:  Julie Loder, UCSF, ESSENTRICS instructor
Topic:  Demonstration of full-body conditioning
RSVP?:  No.

Stockton
Thursday, 1/9, 1:30-3pm
Guest Speaker:  Suzanne Schultz, program manager, San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office
Topic:  Preventing becoming a victim of thieves, scammers, and elder abuse
RSVP?:  No.

Eureka
Friday, 1/10, 3-4pm
Guest Speaker:  Susan Baughman, SLP, speech therapist, St. Joseph’s Hospital
Topic:  LSVT LOUD
RSVP?:  No.

Clovis (Greater Fresno)
Saturday, 1/11, 10am-noon
Guest Speaker:  Monica Rivera, DPT, physical therapist
Topic:  Learnings from the World Parkinson’s Congress in Kyoto in June 2019
RSVP?:  No.

Pleasanton
Saturday, 1/11, 10am-noon
Guest Speaker:  Brian Coulter, CEO, The Parkinson’s Institute, Mountain View
Topic:  Updates on The Parkinson’s Institute
RSVP?:  No.

Berkeley/Forum
Saturday, 1/11, 10:30am-12:30pm
Guest Speakers:  Angela Rusher, PT, Kaiser and Samuel Merritt, and Jason Hardage, PT, Samuel Merritt
Topic:  Functional mobility concerns related to people with Parkinson’s
RSVP?:  Online or contact PD Active, phone 510-479-6119 

Santa Rosa (Sonoma County)
Saturday, 1/11, 1-3:15pm  (speaker from 1-2pm)
Guest Speaker:  Louise Aronson, MD, UCSF, gerontologist
Topic:  Elderhood
RSVP?:  No.

Santa Rosa (Sonoma County) – Caregiver Break-out Group
Saturday, 1/11, 2:15-3:15pm  
Guest:  Sharon Marts, author of “Fruits of Care”
RSVP?:  No.

Tracy
Monday, 1/13, 10am-noon
Guest Speaker:  Gerred Popejoy, Nordic Walking Nations
RSVP?:  No.

Gilroy
Monday, 1/13, 1:30-2:40pm
Guest Speaker:  James Lu, DPT, licensed acupuncturist
RSVP?:  No.

San Andreas (Calaveras, Amador, and Tuolomne Counties)
Tuesday, 1/14, 10am-noon  (Special day for January only)
Program:  Discuss topics in “Parkinson’s Disease for Dummies.”  Bring your copy of the book.
RSVP?:  No.

Auburn
Tuesday, 1/14, 11:30am
Guest Speaker:  Allison Harvey, attorney
Topic:  Wills, trusts, and advance healthcare directives
RSVP?:  No.

Bakersfield
Tuesday, 1/14, 2-4pm
Guest Speaker:  Dr. Jeri Yvonne Williams, movement disorder specialist, Bakersfield
Topic:  Movement disorders
RSVP?:  No.

Pacific Grove (Monterey County)
Tuesday, 1/14, 3-4:30pm
Guest Speaker:  Martin Skerritt, LCSW, social worker, CHOMP
Topic:  Managing emotional aspects of Parkinson’s
RSVP?:  No.

Palo Alto YOPD (Young Onset PD)/Stanford
Tuesday, 1/14, 6:30-8pm
Guest Speaker:  Kristin Andruska, MD, PhD, medical director and movement disorder specialist, The Parkinson’s Institute, Mountain View
Topic:  Gut-brain connection in PD, and research at The Parkinson’s Institute
RSVP?:  Yes, if this is your first time attending.  Contact John Mamin 24 hours before the meeting.

Merced
Wednesday, 1/15, 10am-noon
Guest Speaker:  Jenni Kiser, Mountain Fitness Mariposa
Topic:  Rock Steady Boxing
RSVP?:  No.

Mountain View DBS (deep brain stimulation)
Wednesday, 1/15, 1:30-3:30pm
Guest Speaker:  Fahd Khan, MD, neurosurgeon, California NeuroInstitute
Topic:  DBS – Applications of treatment for PD and other movement disorders
RSVP?:  No.

Sacramento/Arden Arcade
Thursday, 1/16, 10am-Noon 
Guest Speaker:  Dr. Gerred PopeJoy, Nordic Walking Nations, Fair Oaks
Topic:  Nordic pole walking 
RSVP?:  No.

Walnut Creek (Mt. Diablo)
Saturday, 1/18, 9am-noon  (speaker begins about 10:45am)
Guest Speaker:  Jason Massa, DO, movement disorder specialist, East Bay Neurology
Topic:  Non-motor symptoms of PD
RSVP?:  No.

Lincoln
Tuesday, 1/21, 10-11am
Guest Speaker:  Beverly Chang, MD, psychiatrist, Rocklin
Topic:  Mental issues and aging
RSVP?:  No.

Mill Valley (Marin County)
Friday, 1/24, 1-3pm  (speaker from 1-2pm)
Guest Speaker:  Sharlene Schneir
Topic:  Rock Steady Boxing
RSVP?:  No.

Fremont
Monday, 1/27, 6:30-8pm
Guest Speaker:  Representative from city of Fremont
Topic:  Transportation programs for those with disabilities
RSVP?:  No.

West Roseville
Tuesday, 1/28, 2:30-3:30pm
Guest Speaker:  Eric Egli, PhD, clinical psychologist, Auburn
RSVP?:  No.

If you know of a PD support group meeting with a guest speaker, please pass the info along!

Finally….if you copy this guest speaker information elsewhere, please give credit to:  Robin Riddle, Stanford Parkinson’s Community Outreach Program.  Credit is always appreciated