PD Education Hour

Thank you to all who joined us for any of our PD Education Hours, with live viewings and discussions on select topics pertaining to PD. If you missed any of them, or would like to see a presentation again, you can watch them at the links below. We have also posted some handouts and articles for your reading pleasure.

“Parkinson’s can be a complicated disease but I get good information from PEP4U.”
—David S.

Join an upcoming Live PD Education Hour

PEP4U Gym is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Join us on Zoom to learn more.

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Meeting ID: 880 4421 6996
Passcode: pep4u

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Title: Helping Caregivers and People with Parkinson's Find Strength, Connection, and Peace

Sponsor: n/a

Presenter:

Terri Pease, PhD. Author, consultant, & coach for those who care for spouses who have Parkinson’s and related neurological conditions

Date:
Friday, March 14, 2025
Time: 10:00 – 11:00 am PST
Format: Zoom Meeting

Topics Covered:

Preserving love as Parkinson’s intrudes (emotional shifts, grief, connection preservation)
Setting boundaries is an act of love (prioritizing self-care while providing loving support
What the doctors don’t know about Parkinson’s (behavioral changes, communication shifts, relationship dynamics)

Title: Finding the right neurologist for you
An information and Q & A session

Sponsor: n/a

Presenter: Nita Chen, MD
Medical Director, Newport Neurology Associates, Division of Newport Concierge Physicians

Duration: 52 mins.

Summary:

Dr. Nita Chen is a neurologist who specializes in movement disorders. Dr. Chen received her medical degree from Albany Medical College in 2017. She then completed a neurology residency at UC Irvine (2021) and a movement disorders fellowship at the University of Florida (2023).

Throughout her training, she has developed a special interest in Parkinson’s Disease, Dystonia, and Deep Brain Stimulation. What she loves most about these areas is how treatment and technology meet to provide an individualized plan.

Dr. Chen uses her love of art to connect science with humanism and is known to use illustrations to demonstrate concepts of disease and treatment.

Outside of the role of neurologist, she enjoys gardening, making ceramics, and exploring local crafting festivities. In another life without being plagued by sea sickness, she would be a marine biologist. For now, she’ll settle for her cat (Glia) who is reportedly known to act like a shark at times, or a puffer fish.

Title: Pelvic Floor

Sponsor: n/a

Presenter: Erica Presenter: Erica L. Vitek, MOT, OTR, BCB-PMD, PRPC

Duration: 55 mins.

Summary:

Challenges with bladder control and constipation are experienced by a high percentage of people living with Parkinson's disease. Let’s explore the many conservative options for treating a challenging bladder and bowel and learn techniques that can be implemented right away!

Title: Natural Therapies and Nutritional Requirements for PD

Sponsor: The Neuro Challenge

Presenter: Dr. Laurie Mischley

Duration: 27 mins.

Summary:

Dr. Mischley is an accomplished world renowned advocate of the neurological benefits of natural therapies and a diet of unprocessed foods. She has studied the unique nutritional needs of people with Parkinson’s showing a direct link between nutrition and Quality of Life scores. She asks the question: “Is there more that can be done to extend QoL beyond pharmaceutical drug or surgery? The answer – wait for it ….an unqualified Yes.

Dr Mischley will demonstrate how daily activities and nutrition impact QoL. Statistics are used to measure how a wide range of parameters, including exercise and nutrition, may slow the progression of PD allowing people with Parkinson’s to enjoy greater autonomy and an improved QoL.

For instance, people that exercise 6-7 days per week report 50% fewer symptoms. I hear you, six days a week may as well be daily. Rest assured; statistics demonstrate that 3-5 days per week helps. In this instance, as in ice cream treats, more is better.

You will leave this webinar with explicit, achievable suggestions that will improve your QoL and slow the progression of this insidious brain disorder. For now, that’s the best we can hope for.

Resources

Health Promotion for People with Parkinsonisms

Use of a self-rating scale of the nature and severity of symptoms in Parkinson's Disease (PRO-PD): Correlation with quality of life and existing scales of disease severity

Title: The War to Defeat PD

Sponsor: Dr. Ray Dorsey; author of Ending Parkinson's Disease: A Prescription for Action

Presenter: Dr. Dorsey, a David M. Levy Professor of Neurology at the University of Rochester Medical Center

Duration: 45 mins.

Summary:

Brain disease is now recognized as the world's leading source of disability. Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is the fastest growing brain disease. As such, PD portends a looming healthcare disaster. The number of impacted patients has doubled to more than six million over the last twenty-five years and is projected to double again by 2040.

Dr. Ray Dorsey, the author of Ending Parkinson's Disease: A Prescription for Action previews an action plan to prevent, care for, and treat Parkinson's disease which is now one of the great health challenges of our time.

Dr. Dorsey advocates for actions needed to stem the current tidal wave. Dr. Dorsey envisions government-funded basic research along with Big Pharma investments that could replicate the success of similar actions that led to elimination of polio, now a long-forgotten scourge.

Learn how environmental toxins are creating a global epidemic of PD. Harmful pesticides that increase the risk of Parkinson's continue to proliferate, many people remain undiagnosed and untreated, research funding stagnates, and the most effective treatment (carbidopa levodopa aka Sinemet/Rytary) is now a half century old.

Resources

YouTube: The Real Truth About Health

Title: The Impact of Exercise on Cognition

Sponsor: UC San Diego School of Medicine

Presenter: Dr. Amy Jak, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Psychiatry

Duration: 45 mins.

Summary:

Did you know that old folk like us represent 13% of the US population? Our #s have tripled over the last century. One of our beloved PEP4U members, Tippi, will celebrate her 100th birthday in just over five weeks. I thought that was remarkable until I read that the US has ~70,000 centenarians. That # will grow to over 835,000 when I reach that ripe age.

However, part of looking forward to that milestone presumes that cognition will remain at least acceptable, if not better. So how do we get there? Yes, you guessed it, exercise. Regular physical activity reduces the risk and/or delays the onset of dementia. That doesn’t even include the social benefits, the sense of camaraderie, and the extra-family support that have demonstrated cognitive benefits.

It’s never too late to start or increase your activities. As little as four hours of exercise per week has proven beneficial. And if that’s not enough, exercisers have larger gray and white matter mass (presumably in their cranium). Who amongst us wouldn’t give a limb for more gray/white matter? We all know how well walking works to delay the loss of motor control. Well, I learned that walking increases functional connectivity in your brain, which is associated with improved cognition. Something called neuroplasticity.

And if you ever wondered about the benefits of Yoga and strength training, put your thinking cap on and think again. Both activities are associated with improved quality of life and cognition.

One more surprise (not) – folks with a long history of watching TV had reduced cognitive functioning, particularly executive functioning.

So, turn off the T. Join your PEP4U family for an outdoor walk Tuesdays or Fridays …or call me, and I’ll meet you at the lake.

Title: Understanding the Progression of Parkinson's Disease

Sponsor: Parkinson's Foundation

Presenters: Dr. Annie Killoran MD, MSc Clinical Professor of Neurology at the University of Iowa
Lance Wilson, MSS, LSW, C-SWHC, ASW-G Parkinson's Foundation Center of Excellence

Duration: 45 mins.

Summary:

Parkinson's Disease impacts every person living with it differently — from early signs to symptoms and progression. We've all heard that "when you've met one person with Parkinson's, you've met one person with Parkinson's." This adage applies to disease onset, progression, motor, and non-motor symptoms. This broad diversity of symptoms and advances affects the 6 million individuals worldwide who live with the Disease.

Just a note, there are nearly 8 billion people on planet Earth, so those of us with PD represent less than one in a thousand humans or 0.07% - we're special.

So what does your journey ahead look like? We have no crystal ball to help, but we have a plethora of statistics to illuminate trends and define probabilities.

This webinar defines subcategories of the 6,000,000 PD patients and then follows the progression of each group. For instance, if you're in the tremor-dominant group, then you can expect ….. watch the webinar and find out.

Learn more about progression patterns, where you or your loved one tracks in the course of Parkinson's, and how to navigate changes along the way working alongside your care team.

DISCLAIMER: The information provided is for educational purposes only. Please seek the advice of a medical professional for any questions you may have.