Stanford PD Community Blog

In mid-May, the Parkinson’s Foundation hosted a Facebook Live presentation answering questions on Covid-19 and Parkinson’s disease (PD). The speakers included two movement disorders neurologists: Dr. Alessandro Di Rocco and Dr. Ritesh Ramdhani. They discussed what they have learned so far as movement disorders specialists practicing in New York on the front lines of the Covid-19 pandemic, in terms of risks, symptoms, and specific concerns for those with PD, and answered audience questions. We at Stanford Parkinson's Community Outreach viewed the webinar and are sharing our notes.  

Many caregivers cannot leave home due to caregiving responsibilities. You can participate in a web-based seminar — or webinar — from the privacy of your home. Join either live or view the archived version within a few day of the live webinar (in most cases). All webinars listed are free.  All times shown are Pacific Time. Here are webinars that may be of interest to caregivers in June 2020…

You can participate in a web-based seminar — or webinar — from the privacy of your home.  Join either live or view the archived version within a few days of the live webinar (in most cases).  All webinars listed are free. All times listed are Pacific Time. Here are webinars that may be of interest to those living with Parkinson’s in June 2020…

In early May, the American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA) Northwest Chapter offered a webinar on understanding and treating pain in Parkinson’s disease (PD), featuring Dr. Pravin Khemani, a Movement Disorders Specialist. He discussed causes of pain in PD, treating pain by optimizing treatment of PD, and treatment strategies for pain in PD from other causes. We at Stanford Parkinson's Community Outreach viewed the webinar and are sharing our notes.  

In early May, the Parkinson’s Foundation presented a webinar on a genetic testing initiative called PD GENEration, featuring Dr. Martha Nance. She discussed the relevance of genetics for those with Parkinson’s disease (PD), provided an overview of the PD GENEration study, and summarized what we have learned from the initiative so far and what we hope to learn in the future. We at Stanford Parkinson's Community Outreach viewed the webinar and are sharing our notes.  

In late March, the organization Help for Alzheimer’s Families offered a webinar on caring for someone with frontotemporal dementia (FTD), which is the most common type of dementia affecting those younger than 60. While the webinar was not geared specifically to Parkinson’s disease (PD), we felt the content could still be informative or useful for some of our readership; the summary focuses on the movement disorder variants of FTD: corticobasal syndrome (CBS) and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). The speakers included Matthew Sharp and Deena Chisholm from the Association of Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD). They discussed how FTD differs from other types of dementia; signs and symptoms of FTD; and what resources are available for families.  We at

In early May, the UCSF Memory and Aging Center (MAC) presented the fifth and final webinar in its series on caregiving for those with Lewy body dementia (LBD), a discussion of advanced-stage and end-of-life care topics. While the webinar was geared towards those caring for individuals with LBD, we felt the content would also be helpful for others with cognitive impairment or Parkinson’s disease dementia. The speaker was Maya Katz, MD, a movement disorders specialist with the UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences. She covered what caregiving is like in advanced LBD, end-of-life care, indicators of the individual’s prognosis, and advance care planning. We at Stanford Parkinson's Community Outreach viewed the webinar and are sharing our notes.

In early April, the Parkinson’s Foundation offered a Facebook Live presentation on hospitalization and Parkinson’s disease (PD), featuring Dr. Michael Okun, a movement disorders specialist at the University of. He answered questions about PD and hospitalization, provided tips about what to do if you or your loved one with PD is hospitalized, and discussed how to get the best care possible during an anticipated or emergency hospital stay. We at Stanford Parkinson's Community Outreach viewed the webinar and are sharing our notes.  

Brent Bluett, DO, Stanford Movement Disorder Specialist, will discuss “The Status of Research in PD: Is There Hope?” online on Tuesday, June 2, beginning at 3:00pm Pacific Time. The event is free, but pre-registration is required.

In late April, the UCSF Memory and Aging Center (MAC) presented the fourth webinar in its series on caregiving for those with Lewy body dementia (LBD). The topic was how to be an advocate for your loved one with LBD in both a healthcare setting and a community setting. 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, Clinical Nurse Specialist with the MAC, and Helen Medsger, an LBD family caregiver, advocate, and support group leader. We at Stanford Parkinson's Community Outreach viewed the webinar and are sharing our notes.