Palo Alto Parkinson's Support Group
Stanford's APDA Information & Referral Center and Stanford Parkinson's Community Outreach coordinate a local Parkinson's Disease (PD) support group in Palo Alto. Pre-pandemic, we met at a senior housing community and, prior to that, at a senior center. As of March 2021, we are now meeting virtually. Our meetings highlight resources we believe the community should know about or local resources.
We meet the second Wednesday of each month, 2:30-4pm PT. If you are interested in being added to the meeting reminder email list, please contact Robin Riddle, phone 650-724-6090.
June 2021 "Extra" Meeting - "Palliative Care and End-of-life for PD"
There will be a special meeting on Friday, June 25, 2:30-4pm, with a speaker not available during our regular meeting day/time. The topic will be "Palliative Care for PD." The speakers will be Steve Lai, MD, palliative care physician, Palo Alto Medical Foundation (PAMF), and Margaret Stephens, LCSW, social worker, PAMF. They will address:
- Palliative care - overview; how this can help for someone with PD; services provided by PAMF
- POLST form (though not a lot of time will be spent on this)
- Common causes of death for those with PD
- Hospice (though not a lot of time will be spent on this)
June 2021 Meeting - "Driving and PD"
The June 9, 2021 regular meeting was focused on "Driving and PD." The speaker was Julie Muccini, OTR/L, occupational therapist, Stanford University. She addressed:
- The issues those with PD might have that compromise driving ability
- The issues that seniors might have that compromise driving ability
- State law in California about PD and driving
- How driving can be objectively evaluated
- Transportation options
View Webinar Recording
May 2021 Meeting - "Care Management for PD"
The May 12, 2021 meeting was focused on "Care Management for PD." The speaker was Jill Melvin, LCSW, clinical care manager of Sage Eldercare. She addressed:
- What is "care management"
- Do I need a "care manager"
- How can a care manager help me
- Examples of care management for Parkinson's Disease
- What if I have only a short-term need
- What if I have an ongoing need for help
- How to find/hire a care manager
Meeting materials:
View Webinar Recording
March 2021 Meeting - "Options for Parkinson's Care"
The March 2021 meeting was focused on "Options for Parkinson's Care." The two speakers were:
#1 Leslie Kefer, Home Instead, Sunnyvale.
(This office services many cities around Sunnyvale, including Palo Alto.) She addressed:
- Options for Parkinson's care (including home care, facility placement, etc.)
- What are home care agencies doing to keep people safe during the pandemic
- How to select a home care agency
- How to interview home care aides
- Having a "70/40" discussion -- what the heck is that?!
Meeting materials:
> Home Instead presentation
> List of questions to ask a home care agency (PDF)
> List of medical tasks home care agency caregivers cannot perform (PDF)
> 70/40 booklet (PDF)
#2 Corie Mina, Amedisys, Campbell.
(This office services many cities in our area, including Palo Alto.) She addressed:
- Options for Parkinson's care (including home health -- what the heck is that?!)
- What are home health agencies doing to keep people safe during the pandemic
- How to select a home care agency
- Therapies (PT, OT, ST) available through home health from therapists who may be knowledgeable about Parkinson's disease
- "Family/caregiver training" given during home health visits
Meeting materials:
View Webinar Recording
