Voting in the 2020 elections:

The 2020 elections are quickly approaching, below are some of the important dates to make sure your vote counts!

Oct. 15: Early voting begins (strongly encouraged)

Oct. 27: Absentee ballot requests (“vote by mail”) must be received by the county board of elections office by 5p.m.

Oct. 31: Early voting ends

Nov. 3: Election Day and in-person voting

Nov. 3: Absentee ballots must be received by the county board of elections by 5p.m. - it must be signed and have one witness. Absentee ballots received after 5 p.m. on Election Day will be timely only if they are received by mail no later than 5 p.m. on the third day following the date of the election, and postmarked on or before Election Day.

Important Registration Information:

-First time voters must complete and submit this form at least 25 days prior to the election

-If you aren't sure if you are registered to vote, visit the North Carolina State Board of Elections website to ensure you’re in the system and that your information is current.

-If you are a NC DMV customer, you can register to vote or update your voter registration through the “myNCDMV” app (click here for more information).

-If you have moved recently, or since the last time you voted, update your registration to reflect your current address.

-All registered voters may request absentee ballots for the November 2020 general election. To request an absentee ballot, complete and submit this form.

Align Speech Therapy:

Full Flyer Here.

Pawleys Island, South Carolina — Parkinson Voice Project, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, has named Align Speech Therapy and Consulting as a recipient of its 2020 SPEAK OUT!® & LOUD Crowd® Grant Program. Align Speech Therapy and Consulting, a private practice based out of Pawleys Island, is one of two organizations in South Carolina that was awarded the international grant from
Parkinson Voice Project to support speech therapy services for people with Parkinson’s Disease. Align Speech Therapy and Consulting, owned and operated by Amanda Barclay
M.S. CCC-SLP, started offering the two-part speech therapy program, developed by Parkinson Voice Project, in 2018 to help individuals with Parkinson’s regain and maintain effective communication.

 Together, patients and their speech-language pathologist, work through a series of speech, voice, and cognitive exercises that make up the SPEAK OUT!® program.
“Amanda helped me regain my voice. I can speak strongly now. I have strategies for maintaining this growth that I have made, thanks to Amanda’s help,” stated Peggy Ryals,
a graduate of the program from Murrells Inlet.

For more information about Parkinson Voice project and its 2020 grant recipients, visit
www.parkinsonvoiceproject.org/.

To learn more about therapy services for a loved one
with Parkinson’s Disease or other neurological disease, including online therapy options, contact Align Speech Therapy and Consulting by phone at

(843) 936-0020 or by e-mail
at amanda@alignspeechtherapy.com.

Information from the WPC Blog, "Drooling in Parkinson's Disease":

Sialorrhea or drooling is a major unmet need that may affect people with Parkinson’s (PwP) over the course of their disease. The average person swallows about 1,000 times a day - and for most of us we don’t even know we are doing this. Drooling in PwP occurs when there is excessive saliva in the mouth which leaks out because people with 

Parkinson’s may subconsciously not be swallowing frequently enough.  This is important to recognize because not only is drooling uncomfortable and embarrassing but excessive saliva can also occur in the throat and lead to aspiration.

Continue Reading.

Information from the WPC Blog, "Helping People Living with Parkinson's Feel Better Every Day" :

Last June at the 5th World Parkinson Congress  in Kyoto, we presented the abstract “Motor performance and quality of life in a community exercise program for Parkinson’s disease.” Our poster highlighted the physical wellness and quality of life outcomes that we’re seeing with our community-based, holistic approach to helping people with Parkinson’s disease feel better every day. 

Continue Reading

The Micheal J.Fox Foundation presents Estate Planning Everyone Needs Now : Updating Important Documents in 2020, and Using Charitable Trusts as IRA Beneficiaries

September 2, 2020 at 12PM

Featured Presenters: 

Martin M. Shenkman, CPA, MBA, PFS, AEP, JD Founder, Shenkman Law 

Jonathan Blattmachr 
Principal, Pioneer Wealth Partners 

Parkinson Foundation presents

Not What I Planned, For Me or My Family

September 15, 2020 - 12PM

Featured Presenters:

Allison Allen, MSW, LCSW Center of Excellence Coordinator Duke University Medical Center Parkinson’s Foundation Centers of Excellence

Special Guests:
Anna Grill and Paul Cluff 

The Davis Phinney Foundation presents

Stumbling Blocks and Steppingstones with Edie Anderson

Wednesday, September 9, at  2PM

Other opportunities through the Davis Phinney Foundation are to the right.

Holistic & Supportive Care for Living Well with Parkinson's with Dr. Christopher Tarolli 
Wednesday, September 16, at 2PM

YOPD COUNCIL
The Third Thursday of Every Month at 3 pm EDT

Full Flyer Here.

Taking Charge of PD:

6-week virtual group program for people 
who are newly diagnosed with Parkinson's.

When:
Mondays
Oct. 12 - Nov. 16
4:00-5:30PM

For questions:

Jessica Shurer, MSW, LCSW
jshurer@neurology.unc.edu
919-843-1657

Poised For Parkinson's

Full Flyer Here.

North Carolina Coastal Area course:

Mondays & Thursdays, 10:30am-12:15pm

September 21 — November 19

To see if this course is appropriate for you, please contact the instructor: Jim Paisner More info: www.thepoiseproject.org/events/2020/nccoastal-pfp-course

South Carolina Coastal Area course:

Mondays & Thursdays, 2:30pm-4:15pm

October 8 — December 10

To see if this course is appropriate for you, please contact the instructor: Petrea Warneck More info: www.thepoiseproject.org/events/2020/sccoastal-pfp-course

Get Loud Stay Loud!

Support for daily speech/voice practice. 

More Information Here.

Disclaimers

Many meetings have been suspended until further notice, others have pivoted to virtual meetings. Similarly, many classes or facilities are closed out of an abundance of caution for public safety.

Please refer to the highlighted links for contact information and updates regarding availability.

We ask that you practice caution when participating in exercise opportunities.

Talk to your doctor about what program would be best for you, stay hydrated, exercise in a safe location, move at your own pace and preferably with a partner either with a caregiver or video exercise with a friend!

Support Groups

PAC assists 90+ support groups in NC and SC. Click here to view our Support Group list for a group near you. If you have questions about a specific group please contact the Support Group leader. 

Exercise
Opportunities
Find your way to Move It! Exercise has been proven to slow the progression of the disease. Click here to view the most current list of exercise classes throughout NC and SC.

Online Classes:

Gentle Yoga:

Tuesday through Thursday at 10AM

Register via Zoom Here.

Use the pass code: 233011

RockSteady Boxing: streaming on YouTube

Dance for PD & Sing for PD: streaming here

Pilates for PD: streaming here

PWR! Moves: with Susan Wiseman at susan@ampitupfitness.com

in person classes will  be added in September

Invigorate Physical Therapy: www.invigoratept.com

LSVT -Speech Therapy: www.lsvtglobal.com

Dr. Vanessa Hinson, Director of the Parkinson’s Foundation Center

of Excellence at MUSC, recently spoke to the attendees at a support

group meeting about two ongoing trials in the Charleston area that require minimal or no visit to a medical facility. 

The TOPAZ Study is a fracture prevention trial where the medication

will be administered during a one-time, 45-minute visit to your home. 

The ROPAD trial is an observational (no treatment) genetic study conducted during a single visit to the “little green house”, the MUSC Movement Disorders research site away from the hospital. These are two important trials and offer two ways you can help to further

our knowledge of PD, with easy participation. Please contact Tim at sheehant@musc.edu for more information. 

You do not have to be an MUSC patient to participate!