Every month, Stanford Parkinson’s Community Outreach produces a list of Parkinson’s-related webinars and virtual meetings with speakers. Here’s our August 2021 list.
What’s the difference between a webinar and a virtual meeting? A “webinar” has a handful of speakers at most, and attendees have both audio and video muted. A “virtual meeting” usually allows attendees to be seen and heard.
We recommend you register NOW for anything of interest. That way, if there’s a recording, as a registrant you’ll receive an email alerting you to the recording availability. Also, note that a few webinars have registration deadlines well in advance of the webinar dates.
Stanford Parkinson’s Community Outreach will try to attend as many of these events as possible and share our notes. Our notes about PD webinars are often posted here to our blog. We email our notes to the “Stanford PD Info” and “PD Caregivers” email lists, depending on the relevance to those audiences.
We publish to our blog an additional caregiver-specific webinar and virtual event list, which is sent to those on our “PD Caregivers” list. That list includes some events not included here since those events are for caregivers only.
If you are a caregiver to someone with PD, we encourage you to be added to our “PD Caregivers” email list.
Unless indicated, the webinar and virtual meetings listed below are:
- Times listed as PT. (We are based in California, after all.)
- One-hour in duration. We suggest you join five minutes before the official start-time. (Usually, the speaker talks for 30-40 minutes and there’s a question-and-answer session for the remaining time.)
- For a general audience. (Again, caregiver-specific events are on our other list.)
- Not focused on a single medication or single, branded treatment. (Those are excluded.)
- Free.
After that long preamble, here’s our list of PD-related webinars and virtual meetings in August 2021…
– Denise
http://med.stanford.edu/parkinsons.html
Monday, August 2, 12pm
Understanding the Emotionality of Parkinson’s
Description:
Significant changes in emotions and behavior often accompany diseases like Parkinson’s and they can be hard to navigate. Not just big shifts like depression and anxiety, but changes such as regulation of emotions, ability to read and respond to facial expressions, detect and respond to tone of voice, loudness, timbre and other cues.
Speaker: Mindy Bixby, DO, Scripps Clinic
Host: PMD Alliance
The webinar recording will be posted to the PMD Alliance YouTube channel
Monday, August 2, 2:30pm
Ending Parkinson’s Disease: A Prescription for Action
Description:
A book discussion and Q&A with Ray Dorsey, co-author of Ending Parkinson’s Disease: A Prescription for Action.
Speaker: Ray Dorsey, MD, University of Rochester
Host: PD-Connect
Questions: Email or 415-604-2477
Tuesday, August 3, 12pm
The Art & Practice of Planning: Keeping up with Treatments
Description:
The speaker will address how to know when medications are no longer working, how to track changes in a manner that is helpful to the physician, how to have meaningful conversations with your physician and where you can go to get more information to help you better understand the treatments and treatment plan.
Speaker: Ramon Rodriguez, MD
Host: PMD Alliance
The webinar recording will be posted to the PMD Alliance YouTube channel
Wednesday, August 4, 9am
Complementary Therapies for Parkinson’s Disease
Description:
A discussion of complementary therapies (such as acupuncture, massage and yoga) and integrative medicine (which focuses on healing the whole person, using complementary therapies in combination with standard approaches) for Parkinson’s disease. Attendees will be able to ask questions.
Speaker: Britt Stone, MD, Vanderbilt
Host: American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA)
A recording of the webinar will be posted to the APDA YouTube channel
Wednesday, August 4, 9:30am
Genetic Markers and the Progression of Parkinson’s
Description:
Researchers and a research advocate will discuss recent publications around the theme of genetic markers and the progression of Parkinson’s. Attendees are encouraged to join in the discussion and submit questions.
Speakers:
Patrik Brundin, MD, PhD, Van Andel Institute
Mark R. Cookson, PhD, NIH
Clemens Scherzer, MD, Harvard
Stephen Mullin, MBBS, PhD, University of Plymouth
Jessi Keavney, research advocate
Hosts: Journal of Parkinson’s Disease and Cure Parkinson’s
Space is limited to 100 participants.
A recording of the webinar will be posted to the Journal or Parkinson’s Disease Media page
Wednesday, August 4, 10am
How Can Speech Therapy Help with Thinking Changes in Parkinson’s
Description:
Speech-Language Pathologists are an integral part of the cognitive care team for Parkinson’s disease. They are involved with testing cognitive skills and developing memory aides. This presentation discusses different types of treatment, frequently asked questions, and what to expect from speech-language treatment.
Speaker: Darla Freeman, CCC-SLP
Host: Parkinson’s Foundation
The recording will be posted to the PF Wellness Wednesdays webpage
Friday, August 6, 10am
Learning more about Parkinson’s disease and how it advances
No description available.
Speaker: Michael Soileau, MD
Host: Houston Area Parkinson Society (HAPS)
The webinar recording may be posted to the HAPS YouTube channel
Friday, August 6, 1:30pm
Medications and Non-Motor Symptoms
Description:
Focus on comprehensive management of the non-motor symptoms of PD, including nausea, constipation, memory impairment, daytime sleepiness, restless leg syndrome, muscle aches and pains, and sexual dysfunction. Lifestyle management, natural health products, and pharmaceutical options for these non-motor symptoms will be explored. The speaker will also outline services available at the University of British Columbia’s Pharmacists Clinic.
Speaker: Tiana Tilli, Clinical Pharmacist, University of British Columbia
Host: Parkinson Society British Columbia (PS BC)
The webinar recording may be posted to the PS BC YouTube channel
Tuesday, August 10, 10am
Understanding Blood Pressure Functions in Parkinson’s Disease
Description:
How to manage blood pressure changes in Parkinson’s.
Speaker: Anindita Deb, MD, movement disorder specialist, University of Massachusetts
Host: American Parkinson Disease Association Massachusetts (APDA MA)
A recording of the webinar will be posted to the APDA MA YouTube channel
Wednesday, August 11, 10am
Social Engagement [in PD]
Description:
Not just fun and games, studies suggest there are also many cognitive benefits for people with Parkinson’s who participate in puzzles, trivia, and brain teasers. Boost your wits and your mood by joining with peers and exercising your brain!
Host: Parkinson’s Foundation (PF)
The recording will be posted to the PF Wellness Wednesdays webpage
Wednesday, August 11, 2:30pm-4pm
Cutting Edge Research at Stanford: Can Skin Cells Be a Biomarker and Lead to Development of a Drug Treatment?
Description:
Researcher Xinnan Wang will address why an effective treatment relies on understanding how neurodegeneration occurs and biomarkers — the definition and importance in monitoring PD progression (especially during drug trials). She will discuss her lab’s discovery that a protein called Miro1 found in skin cells is impaired in both hereditary and sporadic Parkinson’s and the strategy of coupling Miro1-based therapy with a Miro1 diagnostic tool for future clinical trials.
Speaker: Xinnan Wang, MD, PhD, Stanford Neurosurgery
Host: Stanford’s American Parkinson Disease Association Information & Referral Center
No registration required.
Join the meeting with a computer or tablet so that you can see the speaker’s presentation
Passcode: 071420 (if you are asked)
Or join the meeting by phone:
Dial +1 650 724 9799 or +1 833 302 1536 (Toll Free)
Webinar ID: 921 9000 3137
Passcode: 071420
Participant ID: # (unless you know it)
A recording of the webinar will likely be posted to the Stanford Palo Alto Parkinson’s Support Group webpage
Thursday, August 12, 8am
Heredofamilial Parkinson’s Disease and Targeted Therapies
No description available.
Speaker: J. Antonelle de Marcaida, MD, Chase Family Movement Disorders Center of Hartford HealthCare
Host: American Parkinson Disease Association Connecticut (APDA CT)
A recording of the webinar may be posted to the APDA Chapters YouTube channel
Saturday, August 14, 8am
Understanding genetics in Parkinson’s disease
No description available.
Speaker: Joshua M. Shulman, MD, PhD
Host: Houston Area Parkinson Society (HAPS)
The webinar recording may be posted to the HAPS YouTube channel
Sunday, August 15, 10am
Ping Pong for Good
Description:
Experts agree that enhancing brain health is one of the most significant advantages of playing ping pong because it triggers neurological pathways throughout the body. The speed, projection and spins result in sharpened mental acuity. Join us to learn about the benefits of ping pong (table tennis) for people with PD.
Audience: ONLY women with PD
Speakers:
Maureen McComsey, co-founder of Ping Pong For Good
Trent Maclean, co-founder of Ping Pong For Good
Host: Twitchy Woman
The recording may be posted to the Twitchy Woman blog on the Sunday Mornings with Twitchy Woman page
Tuesday, August 17, 11am
Dementia and Later-Onset Parkinson’s
Description:
The speaker will share his expertise from over two decades of experience working with people with dementia.
Speaker: Rodolfo Savica, MD, Mayo Clinic
Host: Davis Phinney Foundation (DPF)
The webinar recording will be posted to the DPF YouTube channel
Wednesday, August 18, 10am
Nutrition and Parkinson’s
Description:
Proper nutrition can play an important role in managing symptoms of PD. The speaker will discuss nutrition management in PD and suitable diets for PD patients.
Speaker: Nicole Shuckett, Registered Dietitian
Host: Parkinson Society British Columbia (PS BC)
Note:
Questions may be submitted prior to the webinar here.
The webinar recording may be posted to the PS BC YouTube channel
Wednesday, August 18, 12pm
The Art & Practice of Planning: Making the Most of Appointments
Description:
The speaker will discuss how to prepare for medical appointments, what tools can help you track changes and communicate them, how to approach the doctor about your top concerns and treatment needs, and ways to organize all your medical paperwork including resources to help you build and maintain your own personal records. (Last session in this series.)
Speaker: Meredith Hatcher, PA-C
Host: PMD Alliance
The webinar recording will be posted to the PMD Alliance YouTube channel
Thursday, August 19, 9am
Do You Love Someone Who Has Parkinson’s?
Description:
Panelists will discuss life with Parkinson’s from a loved one’s perspective. They’ll share their experiences and tips and answer your questions. Panelists also will talk about what being a “care partner” can look like, from early days to decades into the Parkinson’s journey, and whether there’s a more preferred description for those who care for a loved one with PD.
Host: Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF)
A recording of this webinar will be posted to the MJFF webinars page
Thursday, August 26, 2:30pm-4:30pm
SPARK – Robin Williams and His Battle with Lewy Body Dementia
Description:
A virtual viewing of the recently released feature film, SPARK, which reveals the true story about Robin Williams and his battle with undiagnosed Lewy body dementia (LBD). The viewing of the film will be followed by a guided panel discussion about Lewy Body Dementia. The panel will include a woman diagnosed with Lewy Body, her spouse care-partner, and two neurology experts.
Speakers:
Anwar Ahmed, MD
Melissa Armstrong, MD
Hosts: Central Florida Lewy Body and AdventHealth
To receive a registration link for the event or to ask questions, please email
To our knowledge, this event will not be recorded.