In early March, the World Parkinson Coalition (WPC) hosted “Care Partners and Self-Care Throughout the Journey.” Social worker Amanda Janicke, occupational therapist Julia Wood, and Parkinson’s disease (PD) caregivers Angela Robb and Alan Ater each spoke for about 10 minutes, offering tips to caregivers of those with PD. 

In mid-March, the Parkinson Association of the Rockies hosted a webinar on “Sleep and Fatigue in Parkinson Disease” with Dr. Alexander Baumgartner. He is a movement disorder fellow at the University of Colorado’s Movement Disorders Center.  Dr. Baumgartner indicated that as many as 90% of those with Parkinson’s Disease (PD) have a sleep disorder.  He contrasted sleepiness and fatigue.  Sleepiness is the tendency or ability to fall asleep. Fatigue is similar, and is associated with excessive tiredness and mental or physical exertion. 

In late March, the Parkinson Society British Columbia hosted clinical counselor Courtney Doherty to speak on “Mental Health and Parkinson’s.”  She described depression, anxiety, and apathy — all common changes in mood in Parkinson’s disease (PD).  And she provided extensive information for how these changes can be treated, particularly in non-pharmacological ways. 

In mid-March, the American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA) hosted a webinar titled “Spring Into Exercise: Put Your Best Foot Forward.”The webinar featured three physical therapists from the APDA’s Center for Neurorehabilitation at Boston University addressing exercise for Parkinson’s disease (PD).