Parkinson Support and Wellness is sharing this information on behalf of... We are proud to be part of a team of researchers from across the country who are leading efforts to study whether a medicine called zoledronic acid can reduce fractures in people with Parkinson’s Disease or parkinsonism. The study is called TOPAZ, which stands for Trial Of Parkinson’s And Zoledronic Acid. Did you know that people with Parkinson’s Disease or parkinsonism have a higher risk of fractures? The risk is highest for those over age 60. What is the purpose of the study? We want to learn if a treatment for os ..read more

Parkinson Support & Wellness’s Harvey Chyette Spring Educational Forum returns to Manor House on April 20, 2024. Presentations will start at 9am. Registration will be opening soon. Below is our agenda for the day. AGENDA FOR APRIL 20 8am - Doors Open 9am – Welcome / Symposium begins 9:15 – 10 am – “Parkinson's is not a Disease but Many: The Roadmap to Cures” presented by Dr. Espay 10am – 10:15 – Q&A 10:15 – 10:30am – Exercise Break 10:30 – 11:00 – Clinical Trials at UC GNI Presentation 11:00 – 11:15 – Exercise Break 11:15 – 12:15 – Lunch and visit exhibitor hall 12 ..read more

ROCK ON THE JAMES X will be hosted on Sat. April 27, 2024, starting at 6:00 pm (Doors: 5:00 pm) at The Southgate House Revival - Sanctuary. This is the 10th ROCK ON THE JAMES annual benefit show for Parkinson Support & Wellness, presented by Anytime Fitness Independence. This event is hosted the last week of Parkinson Awareness Month. 4 amazing local bands will be performing… Ethan Priest from 6-7pm Pheve from 7:30-8:30pm White Liger from 9-10pm Doghouse from 10:30-11:30 Tickets are $20! To learn more, please follow them on Facebook! Purchase your tickets here ..read more

Every year we host a program called Basics of Parkinson’s, typically hosted in February. This program is for individuals who have been recently diagnosed with PD and for their loved ones involved in their care. However anyone at any point in their journey with PD is welcome to join. Each year we have a different doctor present this program. Many who have attended multiple times have stated they have learned something new. In 2021 we moved this program to be hosted virtually via Zoom due to COVID. We considered moving it back to in person but have received such positive feedback of hosting our ..read more

By Elizabeth Grover , originally posted on Nov. 2022 Holidays can be full of joy and excitement, but also tricky to navigate if you have any sort of chronic illness. The keys to enjoying the holidays can be sorted into a few important categories: maintain routines, be alert to safety issues, ask for and accept the help you need, and keep it simple.  MAINTAIN YOUR ROUTINES. Maintain your medication schedule assiduously. No exceptions! Be prepared with extra meds in case you need them for some reason. Use the alarm on your cell phone to keep track of time, Be sure you have enough medication ..read more

Blog written by: Eric Minghella, emm@ssd-help.org Parkinson’s disease typically affects older people, but if you haven’t yet reached the age where you want to retire and you’ve been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease you can apply for Social Security disability benefits. If the symptoms of Parkinson’s are so bad that you can’t work any longer and you expect that you won’t be able to work for at least a year but you have work credits you are eligible for Social Security disability benefits. What Is Parkinson’s Disease? Parkinson’s disease commonly affects older people, but it can be diagnosed i ..read more

Steady Strides 2023 presented by Supernus: A Remarkable Journey of Hope and Community As the leaves began to change and the weather cooled down, the community came together for an incredible cause. On September 30, 2023, we hosted our annual 5k walk/run, Steady Strides, and it was nothing short of extraordinary. With 732 participants lacing up their running shoes and hitting the pavement, this year's event was a testament to the power of community, determination, and a shared commitment to a brighter future. What's even more astounding is that, through the unwavering support of our participan ..read more

Saturday, September 30 - Corwin Nixon Park Gates 8am - Race 10am Early registration price ends on Thursday, August 31 at 11:59 PM for our 15th annual Steady Strides 5K walk/race! Register today for $35! After that registration will be $40! Click here to sign up for our 5k! Our regular blog content will be paused until after we host our Steady Strides 5k on September 30, 2023. Special thanks to our presenting sponsor ..read more

We had a blast at our fundraising night at the Florence Y’alls on July 29! It was Christmas in July that evening and you could feel the holiday spirit in the air! Chris Gaffney, our Executive Director, sits with Santa Claus! We sold over 80 tickets to the game and got a portion back of the ticket sales. We also did a split-the-pot that evening of the game to do further fundraising! Parkinson Support & Wellness had an information table to spread awareness on our organization and also on our upcoming Steady Strides 5k on September 30. Before the game, Chris Gaffney, our Executive Director ..read more

By Mary Beth Bialick Parkinson's Support & Wellness hosted a Support Group Facilitator Training program in early July for folks who may be interested in starting a new support group in their geographic area. The interactive program included a discussion on the similarities and differences between educational groups, therapy groups, and social groups. We defined the “traditional support group” and commonalities between successful support groups. Within our network, every group functions on somewhat different levels, but ultimately the goal of bringing together people who are living with PD ..read more