Micrographia
I often hear people talking about how sad and frustrated they are with how small their handwriting is. The abnormally small handwriting that people with Parkinson’s experience is called micrographia, and can be one of the early signs of Parkinson’s.

I’ve just learned about a workbook called Let’s Combat Micrographia that can help people improve their handwriting. It’s available through their website, Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Click here to learn more.

July Side by Side Support Groups at VHC
Last Wednesday, Dr. Drew Falconer, MD and Co-Director of Inova’s Parkinson’s and Movement Disorders Program, visited our Side by Side support groups to answer our questions about medications and symptoms. Each group – people with Parkinson’s and carepartners – had the opportunity to talk to Dr. Falconer separately. We really appreciated that he could spend so much time with us.

Thank you, too, to those of you who brought delicious homemade munchies to share!

Next month at our Side by Side support groups, we will be visited by Dr. Melanie Bush, a physical therapist who will be showing each group various solutions for questions like, how do I get out of bed, or in and out of a car? How can a carepartner help a spouse up from the floor? If you have questions like these that you would like Dr. Bush to answer, please send them to me at Sonia@ParkinsonSocialNetwork.org so she can bring the appropriate gadgets and gizmos.

Can you help?
We are looking to borrow a transport wheelchair for a friend living with Parkinson’s. It would be needed for a couple of months.

We’re also looking for a chair with arms, on wheels, that can’t be tipped back. It would need to be high enough so the person could use it to sit at his desk. Something like this:

If you can help, please contact me at Sonia@ParkinsonSocialNetwork.org. Thanks!

Reminder!
Healthy Aging Lecture Series: Parkinson’s Disease: A Panel Discussion
Friday, July 26, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
At: Virginia Hospital Center, Carlin Springs Campus
601 S. Carlin Springs Rd., Arlington VA 22204
Panel participants:
– Sonia Gow, Founder and President, Parkinson Social Network
– Diana Gilbert, Dir. of Personal Care Services, Old Dominion Home Care
– Cathleen Renkiewicz PT, DPT, Board Certified Geriatric Clinical Specialist, Virginian Rehabilitation and Wellness Services
– Briana Howard, Virginian Home Health
This lecture is FREE and sponsored by Virginia Hospital Center’s Senior Health Department. To register, please call the Senior Health Department: 703.558.6859 or email lifeline@VirginiaHospitalCenter.com

Hope this newsletter is helpful and we’ll see you Out & About soon! This week is a two-cafe week . . . Alexandria (with their famous sundae bar!) and Fairfax (what would you do for a Klondike bar?) Will we see you there?

Cheers,
Sonia
email: Sonia@ParkinsonSocialNetwork.org