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Programs, Events, & Resources for June 2022

New Physician at UNC School of Medicine - Chapel Hill

 

Dr. Vibhor Krishna has relocated from Ohio State University to UNC School of Medicine. He is both a neurosurgeon and scientist who completed his residency at MUSC in Charleston. If you'd like to learn more about him, follow this link:

 

https://www.med.unc.edu/neurosurgery/physicians/physicians-faculty/vibhor-krishna-md/

 

 

If you need assistance registering for a program, you can call our office at 980-245-2786 or toll free at 1-866-903-PARK (7275), and a staff member will be happy to help you.

Louanne Stanton

Guest Speaker

Register

Virtual Support Group

 

Date: Wednesday, June 1st at 2:00 PM

 

Topic: Debunking Myths about Grief

 

Facilitator: Louanne Stanton

Louanne serves as a Grief Recovery Specialist at Reflections Grief Recovery. She is the 911 for a broken heart. In her role, she works to educate and support people who have experienced major life changes including but not limited to loss. She works very hard to provide tools to people so that they may recover from the toll grief had on their life.

 

 

Click here to learn more about PAC's Virtual Support Group.

 

Maighan Mears

Guest Speaker

Register

Wellness Wednesday

 

Date: Wednesday, June 15th at 2:00 PM

 

Topic: Helpful Ways to Manage Parkinson’s Disease for Patients and Caregivers

Facilitator: Maighan Mears

 

Maighan serves in many roles including a healthcare advocate, a geriatric nurse, and the owner of ATeamAdvocacy. Part of her personal mission is to provide people who may be experiencing major changes and in need of advice with support and resources. Maighan’s personal experiences has equipped her with the tools needed to be of help to others on their journey through life.

 

Click here to learn more about PAC's Wellness Wednesday Webinars.

* Our Wellness Wednesday webinar takes place the third Wednesday of every month. *

 

If you need assistance registering for a program, you can call our office at 980-245-2786 or toll free at 1-866-903-PARK (7275), and a staff member will be happy to help you.

PAC's Free Programs! 

PAC provides a FREE Dance for Parkinson’s class to the Parkinson’s community in Charlotte every Thursday, 11:00 A.M., at Christ Lutheran Church – Room Center 6 (4519 Providence Road Charlotte, NC 28226).

UPDATE:  Classes for June and July will be presented via Zoom. We will be sending a link to the Zoom class via email. Be on the lookout for that!

Support for Individuals Living with PD & their Care Partners

 

We have numerous support groups across the Carolinas, if you would like to find out about one near you give us a call at 980-245-2786 and a trained staff member will assist you. Not ready for a support group? We can connect you one on one with a person with Parkinson’s through our Peer to Peer program.

 

Movement Therapy

 

To join one of our in person classes or our virtual Gentle Yoga class, click here to see all locations, dates and times. You’ll also find our recently updated list of regional exercise classes in this same section of our website. 

 

* Disclaimers *

 

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

 

We ask that you practice caution when participating in all programs - particularly exercise programs. Talk to your doctor about what program would be best for you, stay hydrated, exercise in a safe environment, move at your own pace, and try to exercise with a partner or an accredited instructor.

 

Local Community Programs

FREE WEEKLY PICKLEBALL FOR PARKINSON'S 

 

Date & Time: Wednesday, 2:00 P.M - 4:00 P.M

Location: Seymour Center (2551 Homestead Rd, Chapel Hill, NC 27516

Contact Ann Zellmer anniewhiz@gmail.com for more info

*Paddles and balls are provided

 

Available National Programs

 
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Dance and Sing for PD

 

Classes are now being held online.

 

To learn more,

click here.

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Rock Steady Boxing Headquarters

 

Offers classes online via YouTube!

 

To learn more, click here.

Pedaling for Parkinson's

 

Live Class Schedule:

 

M/W/F with Tom: 11:30 AM CT via Zoom

 

T/TH/SA with John: 8:00 AM  CT via Zoom

 

To join a class,

click here. 

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Poe for PD

 

Offers online Pilates classes!

 

For more information, click here.

Davis Phinney Foundation

Parkinson’s Exercise Essentials

 

To access the video content,

click here.

Stanford Neurosciences Supportive Care Program Virtual Exercise Classes 

 

To access the exercise class schedule, click here.

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Facebook Live Parkinson's Speech Exercises

 

Monday - Friday, 11:00 AM

Tuesday, 7:00 PM

To learn more,

click here.

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World Parkinson Coalition

 

For articles, webinars, etc., 

visit worldpdcoalition.org.

Smart Patients

Parkinson's Disease Community

In partnership with

American Parkinson Disease Association (ADPA)

 

For more information,

click here.

 

Parkinson's Community News

 

Inflammatory Markers, Sleep Disorder Linked In Parkinson’s

 

Blood levels of c-reactive protein (CRP) and the lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), two indicators of systemic inflammation, were associated with the presence of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (RBD) in people with Parkinson’s disease, a study found.

 

Patients with RBD also had worse cognition than those who did not.

 

 

The findings suggest that “inflammatory factors are associated with the pathogenesis of RBD in [Parkinson’s] patients,” the researchers wrote, noting that they could serve as potential RBD biomarkers in Parkinson’s.

 

Continue Reading On Parkinson's News Today

 

The European Patent Office (EPO) has nominated a 22-year-old woman for its inaugural Young Inventors prize in recognition of her artificial intelligence (AI)-powered app that can detect Parkinson’s disease early through facial expressions and might assist in work toward better Parkinson’s treatments.

 

FacePrint, the name given to Smith’s invention, is an algorithm that analyzes videos of faces to spot, with 95% accuracy, minute signs of early-onset Parkinson’s and early-stage disease. The technology, which Smith hopes to market, could help in bringing patients into treatment sooner, delaying the start of such symptoms as tremors and gait disturbances. It also was reported to detect other neural disorders with 93% accuracy.

 

Continue Reading On Parkinson's Life

Young Inventor Honored for App to Detect Disease in Facial Expression

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Drink Up: The Importance of Preventing Dehydration in Parkinson’s

As a resident of Arizona, in the Valley of the Sun, as the Phoenix metro area is known, I am familiar with how quickly one can become dehydrated. Scorching summertime desert temperatures can spike above 100 degrees, prompting residents to reach for water frequently, and making Arizona one of the largest drinking water consumers in the nation.

 

My sister Bev, who lives in Ohio and has stage 3 Parkinson’s disease (PD), sometimes complains of dizziness and feeling weak and nauseated. She also experiences low blood pressure at times. But she is not a fan of consuming water!

 

Continue Reading On Parkinson's News Today

 

56-year-old David Little dorm Carlisle, UK, was once a firefighter - but when he was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2005, his life changed. "I didn't realise anything was going to be a problem," he reflects. "Nobody ever tells you these things."

 

David started experiencing, muscle stiffness and freezing - all indicators of gait impairment, a common symptom of Parkinson's - and had to leave his job.

 

Now a volunteer for a charity that supports unpaid carers, David joined the Parkinson's Life podcast to share his expertise with Dr. Martina Mancini from Italy. 

 

Continue Reading on Parkinson's Life

Podcast: Freezing, moving and cueing – understanding gait and Parkinson’s disease

Upcoming Events

The American Parkinson’s Disease Association has a variety of educational webinars scheduled throughout the month of June.

 

For more information and to register for any of these upcoming sessions, click here.

 

MUSC Health presents: Nutrition and Parkinson's Disease

Speaker: Christine A. Cooper, M.D.
Assistant Professir of Neurology
Movement Disorders Program
Medical University of South Carolina

 

Thursday, June 2nd at 12:00 PM

 

To register, click here. 

 
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Pacific Neuroscience Institute presents:

"Everything Parkinson’s Webinar"

 

Monday, June 6th at 12:00 PM

 

To join, click here. Use the following meeting credentials if prompted:

Webinar ID: 821 8048 1494

 

"From Low Blood Pressure to Bladder Problems: A Look at Lesser-Known Parkinson's Symptoms"

 

Thursday, June 16th at 12:00 P.M.

 

Click here to learn more.

 

Additional ongoing programs are listed below. Note that some of these programs are not facilitated by Parkinson Association of the Carolinas (PAC) and are subject to change. Click the links for more details.

Local Studies & Trials

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Effects of Restrictions from COVID-19 on Physical Activity Levels among individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD)

 

The goal of the study is to understand how restrictions from COVID-19 effected physical activity levels in those with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Physical activity has been known to improve many symptoms in patients with PD. In this study, you will participate in one (1) virtual meeting. In total, this study will require around 30-45 minutes of your time.

 

You will be asked to answer surveys about your current physical activity level, cognitive abilities, and balance confidence. Following the questionnaires, you will be asked questions about how COVID 19 has affected your ability to participate in physical activity.

 

If you have any concerns about the study, you can contact:

PI: Jared W. Skinner at 828-262-2512 or skinnerjw@appstate.edu.

 

Acute Effects of Exercise on Autonomic Function

in Parkinson's Disease (PD)

 

Contacts:

  • Lizzie Gamwell, gamwellhe@appstate.edu
  • Dr. Jared Skinner, skinnerjw@appstate.edu if you are interested in participation and/or volunteering.
 

LSVT Global and CurePSP are partnering with Google for new study called Project Euphonia. Project Euphonia is looking for volunteers with moderate to severe speech disorders associated with Parkinson’s (or other Parkinsonism-related diagnoses) to participate in this new study involving recording spoken phrases to help improve automatic speech recognition software (e.g. phones, computers, devices).

 

If you are interested in learning more about Project Euphonia, click here.

 

Please contact project.euphonia@lsvtglobal.com with any questions.

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View the Full Flyer

 

The Social Communication and Neuroscience Lab at East Carolina University is looking for individuals diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease (PD) to participate in a online research survey. Participation involves completion of a survey that consists of five short questionnaires about mental health, demographic variables, and coping during the COVID-19 pandemic and takes about 15-20 minutes to complete.

 

To access the survey, click here.

 

For questions, contact Kathrin Rothermich at 252-744-2329 or rothermichk17@ecu.edu.

 

Wake Forest Baptist Health is conducting a study of light therapy in patients with Parkinson's Disease to improve sleep.

 

To learn more about this study, click here.

 

For more information, contact Study Coordinator: Carolina Burgos Aguilar at caguilar@wakehealth.edu or 336-713-2603.

 

The MUSC Movement Disorders Program is conducting a clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of an experimental drug (TAK-071) in Parkinson's Disease or Lewy Body patients with MCI and an elevated risk of falls. 

 

For more information, contact either of the following individuals:

  • Sandra Wilson, Research Coordinator - wilsosan@musc.edu 843-792-4616
  • Lisa Heidelberg, Research Coordinator - heidelbe@musc.edu 843-876-0829 

If you are interested in participating in a clinical trial please email the MUSC Movement Disorders Program at danger@musc.edu.

PAC's Toll-Free Resource Line is here to Help!

LEARN MORE

Staff Answered Toll-Free Resource Line

  • Available Monday - Friday, 9:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M.
  • You can call for PD related questions, resources, & referrals.
  • You can learn about PAC's cost-free programs.
  • Call 1-866-903-PARK (7275) or email pac@parkinsonassociation.org.

For more information, click on the green "LEARN MORE" button.

Support PAC's Cost-Free Programs!

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How You Can Support PAC

Volunteer with PAC

 

There are a variety of opportunities for individuals to volunteer with PAC in both an ongoing and/or one-time manner. Below is a list of available opportunities.

  • Board Member
  • Committee Member
  • Program Volunteer
  • Event Volunteer

For more information about PAC's volunteer program and ways to get involved with the organization, click on the green "VOLUNTEER" button.

Make Your Mark on Our Local Parkinson's Community!

VOLUNTEER
 

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