YOU’RE NOT ALONE

Get Support

Living with Parkinson’s disease can be very challenging and will definitely have an impact on your life. Northwest Ohio has a large and active PD community with support groups, a quarterly newsletter and an annual symposium. These resources can help you learn about and manage your Parkinson’s disease. Take advantage of them whether you have PD, you care for someone with PD or are a friend or family member of someone with PD! 

What is a Support Group?

Support groups are tremendously effective in helping People with PD & their caregivers cope with the day-to-day realities of coping with Parkinson’s disease.

Patients with Parkinson’s are hungry for information. Greatest gift of a support groups is helping the patient or caregiver come to know he or she is not alone. You will discover and share ways of dealing with the challenges of PD, finding new resources, understanding and encouragement. Learn ways of relating to others or new ways you can help

What Can I Expect at a Support Group?

  • Support group is a voluntary gathering of people who share common A experiences, situations or problems related to living with Parkinson’s disease.
  • Offer each other emotional and practical support and reduce the sense of isolation that is associated with PD diseases.
  • Support groups include discussions on topics of interest and sharing of information, resources and experiences
  • It’s okay to just listen in on a support group; each person has their own comfort level about sharing with others.
  • Supports groups are informal all are welcome.
  • Often, there will be a speaker – doctor, pharmacist, therapist, counselor, humorist, lawyer, or other professional.
  • Some meetings will be a free-spirited discussion among its members about topics of great interest. Or the facilitator may have arranged something special – dinner at a restaurant or a trip to the park.
  • Don’t be afraid to speak to the facilitator about what interests you.
  • What happens at a support group meeting is confidential?
  • There’s a saying that you get as much from an activity as you put into it.
  • Nobody will force you to speak during a group discussion, but you will benefit more if you share your feelings and thoughts.
  • The facilitator always appreciates a helping hand, even if it is an occasional few minutes to help greet new members or to organize one meeting.
  • A support group does bring together people with a common bond; a support group validates people’s concerns by also looking after their emotional needs.
  • Many people, after their first visit to a support group, were heard to say, “And I thought I was the only one with this problem.”

Support Groups

Please call to confirm meeting date and time.

Ashland County
2nd Tuesday 2:00 p.m.
Belmont Tower
2140 Center Street, Ashland, OH
John Rowsey 419-289-1585

Auglaize County
3rd Monday 2:00-3:00 p.m.
March – October and 3rd Monday in November at 1:00 pm
Joint Township District Memorial Hospital
200 St. Clair Street, St. Mary’s, OH 45885
Linda Dicke 419-394-3335

Group in Fulton County
First Tuesday of the Month 1:00 pm
St. Martins Lutheran Church
203 S. De ance St., Archbold, OH 43502
Bonnie Lauber 419-445-9516

Hancock County 50 North
3rd Monday 1:15 pm
50 North – 339 E. Melrose Ave., Findlay, OH 45840
Mark and Deb Fisher 419-423-4524

Lima Area
1st Thursday of each month,
1:00-2:00 pm – NO meetings in December, January and February
Grace Community Church
4359 Allentown Lima, OH 45807
Beth Hartoon 419-226-9019

Parkinson Project of NW Ohio Young On-Set Group
2nd Wednesday 7:00 p.m.
*Meets every Month EXCEPT July
Hilton Garden Inn Levis Commons
Toni & Bob Lesinksi 419-385-4330

 

Positive Partners in Parkinson’s

The last Wednesday each month, 6:00 pm
8575 Jackson Rd, Temperance MI 48182
Janice Kendrick 419-2690-8871
Craig Adams 419-2150435

ProMedica Memorial Hospital/Seneca County
PD Support Group
2nd Tuesday 2:00 p.m.
Meets every other month: Jan, Mar, May, Jul, Sept, Nov
First United Church, 1500 Tiffin Ave., Fremont, OH 43420
Lesley King 419-334-6630

Putnam County
4th Wednesday 11:15 am-12:45 pm
NO meetings in December, January and February
Henry’s Restaurant
810 N. Locust St., Ottawa OH 45875
Beth Hartoon 419-226-9019

Sandusky
1st Thursday Each month, 3:00-4:30 pm
Firelands Hospital, South Campus
Community Resource Room
1912 Hayes Ave., Sandusky, OH 44870
Angela Myers 419-625-3005

Shakin’ Not Stirred’s Monroe County and Contiguous Area Parkinson’s Support Group
Held 3rd Wednesday of Month, 6:30 pm except July and August
Nature Center – 4925 E. Dunbar Rd., Monroe, MI 48161
Jennifer Traver 734-497-5683

 

 

 

 

Sylvania Parkinson’s Support Group

Group Coordinators:  Jean Kornowa, Joe Kahl, Shannon Benge

Held the last Wednesday of Every Month, 7:00-8:30 PM

St Stephens Lutheran Church, 7800 Erie Rd, Sylvania, Ohio

PLEASE call Shannon at 419-376-5544 to RSVP and to confirm meeting time and date

All caregivers, people with Parkinson’s, family members are welcome

The Waterford at Levis Commons Perrysburg
3rd Tuesday of the Month 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm
7100 S. Wilkinson Way, Perrysburg, OH 43551
Michael Zickar

Western Ohio
3rd Thursday 2:00 p.m.
New location: Briarwood Village
100 Don Desch Dr., Coldwater OH 45828
Alicia Koester 419-678-2851

Williams County
3rd Monday 12:30 pm
*Months with County holidays – the 4th Monday
Bryan Senior Center, 1201 South Portland, Bryan, OH 43506
Senior Center number 419-636-4047
Laura Rohlf 419-924-2927

 

 

Caregiver Support Groups

Toledo Caregivers (C.A.R.E.S.) Support Group
1st Monday 6:30 pm (except Holidays)
Genacross Lutheran Services
2001 Perrysburg-Holland, Holland, OH 43528
Kristen Schuchmann 419-383-6737
Lisa Keaton 419-383-6770

Caregiver Support Group of Fulton County
Meet 3rd Wednesday of the Month 10:00 am
St Martins Lutheran Church
203 S. De ance St., Archbold, OH 43502
Bonnie Lauber 419-445-6516

Support Links

NATIONAL PARKINSON FOUNDATION

The National Parkinson Foundation (NPF) has launched the Aware in Care program, which aims to help people with Parkinson’s disease get the best care possible during a hospital stay. – more

MICHAEL J. FOX FOUNDATION

  • The Micheal J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s research is dedicated to ensuring the development of a cure for Parkinson’s disease within this decade through an aggressively funded research agenda. – more

AMERICAN PARKINSON DISEASE ASSOCIATION

  • The American Parkinson Disease Association, Inc. Was founded to “ease the burden and find a cure” for Parkinson’s disease. The organization focuses its energies on research, patient support, education and raising public awareness of disease. For more information call 800-223-2732. – more

THE PARKINSON’S DISEASE FOUNDATION

  • The Parkinson’s Disease Foundation (PDF) is a leading national presence in Parkinson’s disease research, education and public advocacy. You can also contact them and request their booklet on Web Resources for People With Parkinson’s. For more information call 800-457-6676 or 212-923-4700. – more

DELAY THE DISEASE

  • The #1 Parkinson’s Exercise Program. Delay the Disease is a fitness program designed to empower people with PD by optimizing their physical function and helping to delay the progression of symptoms. For more information call 614-975-5874. – more

PARKINSON’S ACTION NETWORK

  • The Parkinson Action Network (PAN) is the unified voice. For more information call 800-850-4726 or 202-638-4101. – more

THE PARKINSON ALLIANCE

  • The Parkinson Alliance is a national non-profit organization dedicated to raising funds to help finance the most promising research to find the cause and cure for Parkinson’s disease. For more information call 800-379-8440. – more

PD TRIALS

  • FOX TRIAL FINDER: Parkinson’s Disease Clinical Trials. – more

NUTRITION

  • Five Star Nutrition
  • Nutrition and Parkinson’s Disease information – more

EXERCISE AND FITNESS

  • Delay the Disease Exercise and Parkinson’s Disease – more
  • Sit and Be Fit – more
  • Parkinson’s Disease and the Art of Moving – more
  • Motivating Moves for People with Parkinson’s – more
  • Functional Aquatic Fitness Training for Parkinson’s Disease (DVD) – more

AREA AGENCIES ON AGING

  • Area Agencies on Aging respond to the needs of the elderly in the communities they serve. To find the agency in your county. – more

NATIONAL ALLIANCE FOR CAREGIVING

  • National Alliance For Caregiving is dedicated to providing support to family caregivers and the professionals who help them and to increasing public awareness of issues facing family care giving. – more

NATIONAL FAMILY CAREGIVER ASSOCIATION

  • The National Family Caregivers Association (NFCA) exists to support family caregivers and to speak out publicly for caregivers’ needs. Through its services in the areas of education and information, support and validation, public awareness and advocacy, NFCA strives to minimize the disparity between a caregiver’s quality of life and that of mainstream Americans. – more

REHABILITATION THERAPIES

  • American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) – more
  • American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) – more
  • American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA) – more
  • Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT) – more

Facilitator Discussion Topics:

Whether you’re looking for a speaker or just a way to get people in the group to start talking, having some possible topics to bring up can be of help. Some recommendations of current group leaders include:

    • Community Resources: Day Care, Home Health Care
    • Respite Care
    • Staying active despite the disease
    • Learning to ask for help
    • Laughter and Humor
    • How to avoid becoming isolated
    • Help for behavior problems
    • Communicating effectively with your physician
    • Stress Management
    • When to take the car keys away
    • Levels of loss as the disease progress
    • How to talk with your loved one about their disease
    • What its like to get the diagnosis
    • Preserving self‐esteem
    • Coping with holidays and special family events
    • Travelling with a person with PD
    • Changing roles and responsibilities for PD caregivers
    • Managing time away from your loved one
    • Improving communication
    • Changing sexuality
    • Normal and abnormal ageing
    • Home Emergencies: What to do when the unexpected happens
    • Medications and side effects
    • Home Safety
    • Depression and Stress
    • Research and Future Technology
    • Sleep Problems
    • Improving Coping Skills
    • Caregiving and Strategies
    • HMO’s and Physicians
    • Balance and Falling
    • Exercise Strategies
    • Nutrition
    Share This