SFVA Support Group for People With Parkinson's Disease and Their Caregivers/Family Members

You are invited!

Please join us at our San Francisco Parkinson's Disease and Caregiver Support Group.

(No need to be a VA patient to attend. All persons with Parkinson's disease and their caregivers are welcome.)

4:00 pm - 5:30 pm
Normally the 3rd Tuesday of each month:

For questions please call 415-379-5530
San Francisco VA Movement Disorders Center

Support Group Coordinator:
Annie Li Wong, MSN, GNP-BC,
Movement Disorders Nurse Practitioner

Come learn about common medical and social issues in living with Parkinson's Disease.
Patients, caregivers, and family members are welcome to attend.

Future directions: Cell-based Therapy for Parkinson’s Disease
Dr. Danial Lim, SFVA Neurosurgery, Assistant Professor and Director of Restorative Neurosurgery, UCSF
View PDF of the presentation

Parkinson’s Disease: The Pesticide Link
Dr. Web Ross – Honolulu VA/University of Hawaii
View PDF of the presentation

Alternative treatments for PD: Helpful or Harmful?
Dr. Rima Ash, SFVA/UCSF Movement Disorders Fellow
View PDF of the presentation

Neuro-protection Therapies for PD: The Good, the Bad and the Expensive!
Dr. Graham "Alec" Glass, Deputy Director SFVA PADRECC, Associate Clinical Professor, UCSF
View PDF of the presentation

Interventional MRI for Deep Brain Implants
Dr. Paul Larson, Chief Neurosurgery and Director, Center for Advanced Neurosurgical Operative Procedures SFVA and Associate Professor, Neurological Surgery, UCSF
View PDF of the presentation 
Video    Transcript

Update on Results of National Cooperative PD DBS Study
Dr. William J. Marks, Jr., Director of SFVA PADRECC and Associate Professor of Neurology, UCSF
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November 2008

Identify common marital stressors in PD,
Dr. Randall Cockshott, Neuropsychologist, SFVA PADRECC
View PDF of the presentation

Discuss and manage anxiety and depression in PD,
Dr. Webster "Web" Ross, Clinical Professor in Dept of Internal Medicine & Geriatrics, University of Hawaii, VA Pacific Islands PADRECC
View PDF of the presentation

Identify common non-motor disturbances in PD: daytime sleepiness and autotonomic disturbances,
Dr. Graham "Alec" Glass, Movement Disorders Neurologist, SFVA PADRECC, Assistant Professor of Neurology, UCSF
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Update on common PD thought disturbances visual hallucinations, paranoid delusions, and cognitive changes,
Dr. Gail Kang, Movement Disorders Neurologist, SFVA PADRECC
View PDF of the presentation

Update on gene therapy protocols in PD,
Dr. William J. Marks, Jr., Director, SFVA PADRECC, Associate Professor of Neurology, UCSF
View PDF of the presentation

Explore the history and current ethics in Parkinson's disease Research,
Dr. Lauren Schrock, Movement Disorders Fellow, UCSF/SFVA PADRECC
View PDF of the presentation

Explore alternative or complimentary therapies in PD (exercise & nutrition),
Dr. Nicholas Galifianakis, Movement Disorders Fellow, UCSF/SFVA PADRECC
View PDF of the presentation

November 2007

Medication Update and common side effects
Dr. Gail Kang
View PDF of the presentation

Surgical Options for Parkinson's Disease
Dr. William J. Marks, Jr.
View PDF of the presentation

Depression in Parkinson's Disease
Dr. Webster "Web" Ross
View PDF of the presentation

Cognitive Changes in Parkinson's Disease
Dr. Johannes Rothlind
View PDF of the presentation

Sleep in Parkinson's Disease
Dr. Graham "Alec" Glass
View PDF of the presentation

Managing Falls at Home and Other Home Safety Tips
Mike Szotak, P.T.
View PDF of the presentation

Tips for Taking Care of the Caregiver
Elaine Lanier, RN, MS
View PDF of the presentation

A series of short videos prepared by the VA PADRECCs addressing various aspects of Parkinson's Disease through the gracious sharing of individual Veteran's stories.

Go to My Parkinson's Story on YouTube

Parkinson's Disease Online Resource Guide
Parkinson's Disease and Military Exposures

SF offers an Advanced Care/Supportive Care Clinic for late Stage III-IV PD.

Late-stage PD patients often gain little to no benefit from medication adjustments. In fact, medications are more frequently withdrawn due to their side effects. The work of Gow and Carter from OHSU suggests that families often have feelings of abandonment for care and support in the final stages of care for patient with Parkinson's disease. With this in mind, the SFVA developed a new interdisciplinary clinic for advanced disease patients with the goal of improving the family's sense of support for this end-stage phase of disease. Specifically, quality of life interventions are the focus instead of curative interventions. The goal is to avoid unnecessary hospitalizations and caregiver desperation. The staffing is based on a team approach and the two hour visits start with an intake of key issues solicited by either the nurses, a social worker or chaplain. Patient and family goals are explored and a plan of care is made together incorporating recommendations from all involved parties.