Parkinson's Disease - Best Local Resources
Stanford Parkinson's Community Outreach and Stanford APDA Information & Referral Center, based at Stanford University Medical Center.
Contact: Robin Riddle, Coordinator, phone 650-724-6090
- referrals to physicians who diagnose and manage PD, and other healthcare professionals (PTs, OTs, SLPs, counselors, etc)
- "Stanford PD Info" emails that include a monthly list of guest speakers and special programs at Northern California PD support groups and a monthly list of Parkinson's webinars
- "PD caregiver" emails that focus on suggestions, resources, and sympathetic viewpoints that may be of interest to caregivers. Included is a monthly list of webinars that are caregiver-oriented.
- Parkinson's community blog
- educational seminars around the Bay Area on topics such as cognitive issues in PD, Lewy Body Dementia, caregiver communication, and genetics
- social worker-facilitated PD caregiver-only support groups in Menlo Park, Los Altos, Belmont, and Daly City
Local Exercise Classes are throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Many are specifically for those with PD while others are appropriate for people with mobility problems. Most meet weekly. Some charge while some are free. Each class has its own approach, instructor, and registration process.
Local Fall Prevention Classes are throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and a few outside the Bay Area. Most are multi-week classes. Some charge while some are free. Each class has its own approach, instructor, and registration process.
Local Support Groups are throughout Northern California and Central California. Most meet monthly. Some have guest speakers each month while some have open discussion each month. A few are focused on Young Onset Parkinson's. Several are for caregivers only. Each group has its own leader, contact details, reminder process, and approach.
Southern California Resources. As we get a lot of inquiries from Southern California, we have created this short webpage of Parkinson's Disease resources in Southern California.
Parkinson's Disease - Best National Resources
APDA (American Parkinson Disease Association), based in New York
Contact: APDA National Office, tollfree phone 800-223-2732
- educational booklets and pamphlets on various topics, such as nutrition, medications to avoid, constipation, and depression. Some publications are in Spanish, Portuguese, German, Italian, Russian, and Chinese. All can be ordered online and will be mailed. Or, many can be downloaded.
- quarterly newsletter with articles by PD experts or PD research updates
- about 30 Information & Referral Centers around the US
Davis Phinney Foundation, based in Colorado
Contact: Davis Phinney Foundation, tollfree phone 866-358-0285
Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, based in New York
Contact: Michael J. Fox Fundation, tollfree phone 800-708-7644
National Resource Center for Rehabilitation, a joint effort of the APDA and Boston University, based in Boston
Contact: National Resource Center for Rehabilitation,
tollfree phone 888-606-1688
- exercise helpline for callers to speak with a licensed physical therapist Boston University who can answer questions about exercise
Parkinson's Foundation, based in Miami
Contact: PF, tollfree phone 800-473-4636.
Note - this is the new name for the merged organizations of the National Parkinson Foundation and the Parkinson's Disease Foundation (which was based in New York).
