March Ahead: Parkinson’s

This exercise class is specifically designed for individuals with Parkinson’s disease.  The class format is founded on latest scientific principles and research at OHSU, to improve mobility constraints and brain function.  Balance coordination and mobility are all part of this active movement class.  Individual needs are addressed to fit level of function.  Improvements in many neurological deficiencies can be made by attending this class.

Instructor: Derek Wallace, [email protected], www.ohsu.edu/march-wellness

$115 per month

Your Vision and Parkinson’s (Virtual)

If you are living with Parkinson’s disease, you may be more likely to experience dry eye disease, double vision and reading difficulties, and even optic nerve damage. This virtual program, presented is Angela Shahbazian, OD, FAAO, will review the various ocular symptoms that patients with Parkinson’s disease may experience and provide tools for how you can advocate for the best possible management of these symptoms.

Angela Shahbazian, OD, FAAO, is Assistant Professor of Health Sciences at the Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry & Vision Science at the University of California, Berkeley. In addition to her expertise as an optometric physician and instructor of optometry, Dr. Shahbazian, will share some of her insights as the daughter of someone who is living with Parkinson’s and the unique perspective that brings to her clinical practice.

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Personal Care Series For People with PD & Care Partners (Virtual)

Are you caring for someone with Parkinson’s disease? Do you have PD and experience challenges with personal care? Are you looking for ideas and equipment to make these activities easier for you or your loved one to retain independence ? Or, do you just want to be prepared for what may lie ahead with your loved one’s PD?

During this 1.5 hour program, once a week for 2 weeks: January 21st and January 28th (1:00-2:30pm), Occupational Therapist, Mindy Laidlaw, with St. Charles Medical Center, will give instruction and ideas regarding strategies and equipment to assist the person with PD with bathing, dressing, toileting, mobility, and cooking/feeding. Mindy Laidlaw, OT, graduated from Pacific University in Forest Grove, OR and has worked for St. Charles Medical Center in Bend Oregon for 34 years. If you are a professional care giver, please call our office for information regarding our long-term care training for professionals caring for those with PD.

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Holiday Sing-Along: In Person (Beaverton) & Virtual

This is the special holiday edition of our monthly Sing-Along group. Join us for a fun and supportive hybrid in person and “virtual” song circle to practice projection, voice control and coordination through the joy of singing! Each session will start with a practice vocal warm-up and then sing your favorite songs with guitar accompaniment.

Wear your Holiday spirit (not required), see friendly faces, sing, laugh and enjoy holiday treats! 

If you are joining us in-person, this event will be at our PRO office in Beaverton, 8880 SW Nimbus Ave.

Free Event, Registration Required

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Preparing for the Unexpected: Virtual

Illness, family obligations, and medical needs can all come unexpectedly for any of us, and for those of us in crucial roles as caregivers (for ourselves or others), it is important to plan ahead.

We will assist participants as they identify steps to take to get prepared, including rallying support and identifying roles ahead of time for family and friends, finding care resources, and gathering and organizing crucial information. By taking steps to prepare and communicate with your larger network, we hope to lessen the stress of “what will happen if I can’t be there?” and “what will happen if I need help?”

This event will be online. Handouts will be emailed prior to the event date.

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Exploring DBS, A Roundtable Discussion: HYBRID

Join us in-person or online for a discussion with Megan Connolly, FNP with Providence Brain and Spine Institute. If you live in the Portland metro area, we strongly encourage you to attend in person!

Megan will help you learn about DBS for Parkinson’s Disease. She will explain when DBS is considered in your Parkinson’s journey, who is a suitable candidate for DBS, and how DBS can make a difference in treating Parkinson’s Disease. The Oregon Boston Scientific team will provide education on what makes Boston Scientific DBS unique and have DBS demonstration devices available for you to get a “hands on” look. The talk will be rounded out with a guest client who has had DBS. This individual will share their experience with DBS and be able to answer your questions from the perspective of person with Parkinson’s.

This is an independent event, unaffiliated with Parkinson’s Resources and is not an endorsement or recommendation by PRO of a specific therapy or treatment modality. Boston Scientific is a proud partner of Parkinson’s Resources of Oregon. This program is offered as a paid consideration.

Free Event, Registration Required

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Sleep Challenges In Parkinson’s: Virtual

Experiencing issues with sleep is often a concern for those with Parkinson’s. In this round table event, Dr. Hiller will present an overview of normal sleep and wake cycles as well as many of the common sleep issues seen in Parkinson’s disease. These will include urinary issues in sleep, acting out of dreams, insomnia, restless leg syndrome, and day time sleepiness. She will also review ways to approach many of these sleep issues.

We will also be joined by Terry Smith from Eugene. Terry has PD and has been diving deep into various interventions for sleep problems. His journey may be helpful to others as we know that just as symptoms vary so much in PD, the treatment that works for one person may not work for another person. Our hope in offering this panel format is to foster a rich discussion about this issue that impacts so many people with PD.

This event is presented in collaboration with Oregon Health & Science University

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Fall Breathing Yoga: Online

older man and woman dressed in blue sitting to practice yoga

Pranayama yoga is the practice of breath control and synchronizing breath with movement which can help energize the body and mind, improve alertness and concentration, reduce stress. This practice may benefit those with tremor, improve memory and cognitive functions, help with sleeping disorders, provide mental-emotional stability and build confidence and improve quality of life.

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Online Chair Based Movement, Mondays

Join Laura Lou for virtual chair classes on zoom. Classes are Mondays 11am to Noon, sessions typically run 12-13weeks.

Register at www.pro.eventbrite.com or call 800.426.6806

This exercise program is based on the John Argue book “Parkinson’s Disease & the Art of Moving” to: increase flexibility, strength, balance, and coordination, improve communication, voice power and speech clarity. Drawing from yoga, tai chi, free-dancing and laughter yoga, this seated exercise program focuses on doing movements with ease, moving intentionally and slow completion of movements one at a time. It is great for those concerned with balance, needing the support of a chair, or simply hoping to add to an existing exercise program.

Always check with your physician before starting any exercise program.

This class, and all programs at PRO, is offered with an option for scholarship registration. Similar classes in the community have registration fees of $8 – $15/session. If you are able, please consider a full or partial fee registration to help offset our related program expenses. (All contributions help)

Register

Online Chair Movement Class, Fridays

This exercise program is based on the John Argue book “Parkinson’s Disease & the Art of Moving” to: increase flexibility, strength, balance, and coordination, improve communication, voice power and speech clarity. Drawing from yoga, tai chi, free-dancing and laughter yoga, this seated exercise program focuses on doing movements with ease, moving intentionally and slow completion of movements one at a time. It is great for those concerned with balance, needing the support of a chair, or simply hoping to add to an existing exercise program.

Always check with your physician before starting any exercise program.

This class, and all programs at PRO, is offered with an option for scholarship registration. Similar classes in the community have registration fees of $8 – $15/session. If you are able, please consider a full or partial fee registration to help offset our related program expenses. (All contributions help)

INSTRUCTOR: Laura Lou Pape-McCarthy

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