In early April, the UCSF Memory and Aging Center (MAC) offered a webinar on managing daily activities and fall prevention as part of its ongoing webinar series on Lewy body dementia (LBD). While the webinar was geared towards those with LBD, we felt the content would also be helpful for others with cognitive impairment or Parkinson’s disease dementia. The speakers were Sarah Dulaney, a Clinical Nurse Specialist with UCSF, and Helen Medsger, a family caregiver, advocate, and support group leader. They discussed the importance of establishing a daily routine and how to go about developing one and provided ideas for activities, fall prevention, and communication strategies. We at Stanford Parkinson’s Community Outreach listened to the webinar and are sharing our notes.  

Join a free national webinar, hosted by the American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA)-Northwest Chapter, on Friday, May 8, from 10:30-11:30am. The program is designed for those living with or caring for someone with Parkinson’s and will help participants understand treatment concerns for Parkinson’s disease (PD).  

In mid-March, the UCSF Memory and Aging Center presented a webinar on behavior and mood symptoms in Lewy body dementia (LBD), as part of their ongoing Lewy Body Dementia Caregiver Webinar Series. The speaker was Jennifer Merrilees, RN, PhD, a Clinical Nurse Specialist at the UCSF Memory and Aging Center. She discussed the common behavioral and mood symptoms that characterize LBD; how brain anatomy and neurotransmitters impact mood and behavior; and ways to manage common behaviors, mainly through non-pharmacologic methods. The webinar included a question and answer session. We at Stanford Parkinson’s Community Outreach listened to the webinar and are sharing our notes.  

Helen Bronte-Stewart, MD, MSE, Director, Stanford Movement Disorders Center, will participate in a Virtual Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) Forum on Wednesday, April 22, from 11:00am-12:30pm. In this webinar, you will learn the what, when, why, how, and more of DBS from movement disorder specialists who recommend it, surgeons who perform it, companies that make the devices, and someone who has been living with it for over 10 years. The event is free, but pre-registration is required.

In mid-March, the UCSF Memory and Aging Center (MAC) offered a webinar on Lewy body dementia (LBD), featuring William Mantyh, MD, a UCSF neurologist who researches the genetic causes of various dementias. It was the first in an ongoing series about LBD. Dr. Mantyh provided an overview of LBD symptoms and diagnosis, including autonomic issues; explained our current understanding of the causes and risks; and outlined the available treatments. We at Stanford Parkinson’s Community Outreach listened to the webinar and are sharing our notes.