Parkinson's Disease - Best Local Resources
APDA (American Parkinson Disease Association) Information & Referral Center, based at Stanford University Medical Center.
Contact: Robin Riddle, Coordinator, phone 650-724-6090, tollfree phone 866-250-2414
- 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
- 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 and Belmont
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.
PPSG (Parkinson's Patients Support Groups), Inc., based in Sunnyvale
Contact: PPSG, phone 408-542-5610
- frequent newsletters packed with informational articles on PD
- online lists of Northern California support groups and exercise classes
- works with community members to start local support groups such as the DBS support group in Sunnyvale
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 60 Information & Referral Centers around the US
APDA National Young Onset Center, based in Illinois
Contact: Young Onset Center, tollfree phone 877-223-3801
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
PDF (Parkinson's Disease Foundation), based in New York
Contact: PDF, phone 212-923-4700, tollfree phone 800-457-6676
- occasional one-hour expert briefings, accessible online or via conference call, on focused topics such as depression, pain, driving, etc. The recordings of these briefings are available online.
- fact sheets and educational booklets on various topics, including newly-diagnosed
- quarterly print newsletter and monthly e-newsletter
NPF (National Parkinson Foundation), based in Miami
Contact: NPF, tollfree phone 800-327-454
