Home » Monthly List - Support Groups » Current List of Parkinson’s and Atypical Parkinsonism Virtual Caregiver-Only Support Group Meetings, San Francisco Bay Area, Northern California, and Central California (as of July 2020)
Current List of Parkinson’s and Atypical Parkinsonism Virtual Caregiver-Only Support Group Meetings, San Francisco Bay Area, Northern California, and Central California (as of July 2020)

Current List of Parkinson’s and Atypical Parkinsonism Virtual Caregiver-Only Support Group Meetings, San Francisco Bay Area, Northern California, and Central California (as of July 2020)

July 29, 2020 By

Caregivers need to have their own support group meetings or gatherings because they need to vent, share, learn tips and resources, and receive support from others walking the same path. Ideally, a caregiver to someone with Parkinson’s Disease can attend a PD-specific caregiver support group. Or someone dealing with Lewy Body Dementia can attend an LBD-specific caregiver support group. And so on. With the pandemic, many support groups have moved to meet virtually while others have gone on hiatus until in-person meetings can occur once again.  Here’s our list of the status of PD and atypical parkinsonism caregiver-only support group meetings in the SF Bay Area, other parts of Northern California, and Central California. 

We hope you have been able to stay safe and well during our long sheltering in place period. As it seems that we will be in this situation for quite some time, we have researched the current status of PD caregiver groups in Northern and Central California. Some groups have moved to virtual meetings.  In fact, some groups have expanded the number of virtual meetings to provide more support.  Most meetings that are gathering virtually are using video.  Of course you’ll need to contact the group leader for information on joining the meeting.

We know that caring for someone with PD in the current environment is particularly challenging. If you aren’t already doing so, reach out to one of the group leaders below and find the support and encouragement you need.

Let me know if any of this information needs to be updated.

Stay well and safe,
Steven Russell
parkinsons.stanford.edu

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PD CAREGIVER-ONLY SUPPORT GROUPS – BAY AREA 

Belmont – PD Caregivers Support Group
1st and 3rd Thursday, 11:30am-1:30pm
Virtual meetings via video
RSVP required before each meeting
Contact group leader to join meeting reminder email list 
Group contact: Steven Russell, 650-995-6379, Stanford Parkinson’s Community Outreach
Facilitator: Ann Blick Hamer, LCSW

Daly City – PD Caregivers Support Group
2nd and 4th Tuesday, 11:30am-1:30pm
Virtual meetings via video
RSVP required before each meeting
Contact group leader to join meeting reminder email list
Group contact: Steven Russell, 650-995-6379, Stanford Parkinson’s Community Outreach
Facilitator: Carley Rencher Chen, LCSW

Berkeley – Mild/Moderate Care Partners Support Group
2nd Wednesday, 3-5pm
Virtual meetings via video
Group contact: PD Active, 510-479-6119
Facilitator: Roslyn Kleinsinger, LCSW 

Berkeley – PD Care Partners Support Group
2nd Thursday, 2:30-4:30pm
Virtual meetings via video
Group contact: Joyce Sakai, 510-525-5166

Brentwood
Currently on hiatus
Group contact: Sue Schnittker, 925-550-2756

Los Altos – PD Caregivers Support Group 
2nd Tuesday, 10:30am-noon    
1st, 3rd, and 4th Thursday, 10:30am-noon
Virtual meetings via video
Please contact group leader to join meeting reminder email list
Group contact: Denise Dagan, 650-867-7419, Stanford Parkinson’s Community Outreach
Facilitator: Susan Weisberg, LCSW 

Menlo Park – PD Caregivers Support Group 
1st and 3rd Tuesday, 12:15-1:45pm
Virtual meetings via phone or video
RSVP required before each meeting
Contact group leader to join meeting reminder email list
Group contact: Robin Riddle, Stanford Parkinson’s Community Outreach, phone 650-724-6090
Facilitator: Natalie McKelvey, LCSW

Menlo Park – PD Caregivers Support Group
2nd and 4th Friday, 12:15-1:45pm
Virtual meetings via phone or possibly video
RSVP required before each meeting
Contact group leader to join meeting reminder email list
Group contact: Robin Riddle, Stanford Parkinson’s Community Outreach, phone 650-724-6090
Facilitator: Susan Weisberg, LCSW 

Mill Valley – PD Caregivers Break-out Session
4th Friday, 2-3pm
Possibly holding virtual meetings via video
Facilitator and group contact: Joann Katz, MFT

San Jose (The Villages)
Currently on hiatus
Group contact: Alice Pratte, 408-223-8033 

San Jose (Willow Glen) – PD Caregivers Support Group
4th Wednesday, 1:30-3:30pm
Virtual meetings via video
Group contact: Charmaine Eng, 408-723-8116 

Walnut Creek – PD Caregivers Support Group
Currently on hiatus
Group contact: Norman Kibbe, 925-935-0322

ATYPICAL PARKINSONISM CAREGIVER-ONLY SUPPORT GROUP- BAY AREA 

Lewy Body Dementia Caregiver-Only Support Group 
Occasional Sundays, 5-7pm.  2020 meeting dates 
Virtual meetings via video or phone
RSVP required before each meeting
Contact group leader to join meeting reminder email list
Group contact: Robin Riddle, Brain Support Network, 650-814-0848
Facilitators: Caregivers whose loved ones have passed away and the Lewy body dementia diagnosis was confirmed through brain donation

Progressive Supranuclear Palsy and Corticobasal Degeneration Caregiver-Only Support Group
Occasional Sundays, 5-7pm.  2020 meeting dates 
Virtual meetings via phone or video
RSVP required before each meeting
Contact group leader to join meeting reminder email list
Group contact: Robin Riddle, Brain Support Network, 650-814-0848
Facilitators: Caregivers whose loved ones have passed away and the progressive supranuclear palsy or corticobasal degeneration diagnosis was confirmed through brain donation

Multiple System Atrophy Caregiver-Only Support Group
Occasional Sundays, 5-7pm.  2020 meeting dates
Virtual meetings via phone or video
RSVP required before each meeting
Contact group leader to join meeting reminder email list
Group contact:Robin Riddle, Brain Support Network, 650-814-0848
Facilitators: Caregivers whose loved ones have passed away and the multiple system atrophy diagnosis was confirmed through brain donation

PD CAREGIVER-ONLY SUPPORT GROUPS – NORTHERN CALIFORNIA  

Auburn 
Group on hiatus
Group contact: Karen Hancock, 530-885-0950 

Davis – PD Care Partners Support Group
2nd and 4th Thursdays, 1:30-3pm
Virtual meetings via video
Group contact: Karen Eagan, 530-564-4323 

Lodi 
Group on hiatus 
Group contact: Jean Whitted, 209-368-2809 

Sacramento – PD Caregivers Lunch Bunch
3rd Tuesday, 11am-1pm
Virtual meetings via video
Group contact: Anne Spaller, MFT, 916-728-9333 

Santa Rosa
2nd Tuesday, 9:30-11am
Virtual meetings via video
Group contact: Marie Kay Hansen, 209-836-5494 

Santa Rosa
4th Thursday, 11:30am-1pm
Virtual meetings via video
Group contact: Marie Kay Hansen, 209-836-5494