Power Over Parkinson's Symposiums

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1 AUGUST 2015 Snippet from Sarah... Last month the Arizona Chapter held our first annual statewide Support Group Leaders conference. This conference, generously funded by AbbVie and Medtronic, was attended by 26 support group leaders from across the state. Over two days we shared resources, gained valuable skills in facilitating groups,brainstormed, networked and talked in depth about the true purpose and value of support groups. The passion in the room, commitment to our PD community and to ensuring groups have up to date, quality information was inspiring. On a personal level, I left the 2 day event filled with gratitude for the amazing volunteers leading these groups. If you have not thanked your leader lately for their time, energy and commitment - please do! We are fortunate to have them. We maintain an up to date list of all groups on our website. Arizona is fortunate to have groups throughout our state. If there is a group in your area that we don't know about, please share the information with us. If you are considering starting a group we are happy to talk with you about it and help you get it off the ground. We have a lot going on around the state! This e-news is packed full of information about events occurring around our state as well as important information about living life more fully. If you know of someone who does not receive the e-

2 news but would like to, please share! There is a link at the bottom of the e-news to forward and join. Enjoy, and stay engaged! Lots more to come! Sarah Power Over Parkinson's Symposiums We have been busy launching our Power Over Parkinson's Symposiums, and cannot wait to visit you in your area. In July our symposium, held in Flagstaff, was attended by more than 90 people! Just last week we welcomed more than 40 people in a symposium in Pinetop/ShowLow. As in all of our symposiums we included a brief overview of APDA services in your area, exercise experiential, a presentation from a movement disorder physician and an overview of deep brain stimulation. Together with our tremendous sponsors we are sincerely enjoying meeting new people and sharing the most up to date information about PD. Want to know when a symposium is coming to an area near you? Take a look at our Save The Date List in this e-news. Each symposium is a little different as we are intentionally working with physicians and exercise providers from across the state. Come to one, come to all - the more the merrier! Want to know what attendees are saying... Check out this video:

3 Thank you to our premier sponsor Thank you also to out other sponsors: SPOTLIGHT ON SERVICES Just this week Judy Talley, APDA Program Director is in Tucson offering training's to two assisted living facilities. Since many of you do not get the newspaper in ShowLow, we thought you would like to see an article printed last week. In its efforts to improve the care that people with Parkinson's disease receive when hospitalized, the American Parkinson Disease Association Arizona Chapter now offers a 1-1/2 hour program of continuing education to hospital staffs throughout the state. This new program, "Parkinson Disease: What it Is, What it Does, and Elements of Care,"was first presented...in Kingman. Summit Healthcare Regional Medical Center in Show Low is currently on Talley's schedule. Those attending in Kingman included medical-surgery and emergency department nurses, therapists, social workers, case managers, hospice and home health staff members. Each person received a certificate of completion to be used for continuing education credit in their professional records.

4 Knowing that hospital health-care professionals already possess a fundamental knowledge of Parkinson's disease as a movement disorder, Talley focused on information about the many nonmotor symptoms that challenge people with Parkinson's disease. Speaking from the perspective of the patient and care partner, she referenced her background in gerontology and two decades working with older adults in residential health-care settings, emphasizing that no matter what diagnosis the patients is hospitalized for, PD should always be addressed in any plan of care. Talley also emphasized the importance of medication management, explaining what happens when the patient's normal regime of medications is disrupted or ignored. HUMOR THERAPY Ron speaks frantically into the phone, 'My wife is pregnant, and her contractions are only two minutes apart.' 'Is this her first child?' the doctor queries. 'No, you idiot.' Ron shouts in the phone. 'This is her husband.' Thanks to our Board Member, Ron Kline, for submitting a monthly bit of humor therapy. Humor is good for the brain and good for the soul. This disease can result in an imbalance of seriousness and laughter. You can restore balance,. Laugh daily! SPOTLIGHT ON MEDICATION We have heard from many of you that you would like more information about medications, treatments and therapies for PD. The Arizona Chapter of the APDA is dedicated to providing you information to help you be more informed about your disease and allow you to be a better advocate for your care. Each month we will spotlight a medication, this month it is Azilect from Teva Pharmaceuticals. Azilect (rasagiline tablets) is a medication used to treat many of the symptoms of Parkinson's disease. Because Azilect helps preserve dopamine in your brain, it can help you move more freely so everyday activities may become less difficult. Azilect is a oncedaily medication that can be taken alone in early Parkinson's disease or with other Parkinson's medications as the disease progresses.

5 The symptoms of Parkinson's disease are caused by declining levels of dopamine, a chemical messenger in the brain. Dopamine helps control movement, which is why many of the symptoms people with Parkinson's experience are movement-related. These can include tremor, slowness, stiffness, and difficulty walking. An enzyme in the brain, called MAO-B, breaks down dopamine, making it unavailable for the brain to use. This reduces dopamine levels even more in people with Parkinson's. If you have just been diagnosed or are experiencing the early symptoms of Parkinson's, Azilect may help. Azilect has been found to be effective as monotherapy (the only Parkinson's therapy being taken) in early patients. You may find that Azilect initially can relieve many of your symptoms without the need for other Parkinson's medications. In fact, it may be the only therapy you need for some time. Your physician may also recommend you take Azilect as your disease progresses to slow the absorption of dopamine. Studies have shown that Azilect helps early Parkinson's patients: Improve their Parkinson's symptoms as measured by a Parkinson's disease scale Maintain daily activities (such as getting dressed, taking a walk or eating a meal) as measured by a Parkinson's disease activity scale KEEP MOVING! The Arizona Chapter of the APDA maintains a comprehensive list of exercise classes and health and wellness groups across Arizona on our website. Classes and facilities listed all must utilize exercise and fitness designed for people with Parkinson's. Here is an article from the Arizona Republic about one of the facilities: A gym in Tucson gives more than 100 people a month the chance to push back against Parkinson's -- a disease that doesn't fight fair. Becky Farley started the Parkinson Wellness Recovery PWR! Gym... These folks have so much potential," Farley says. One of them is Sharon Kha... When she was diagnosed, Kha had a high-profile executive job at the University of Arizona, and plans to become a Peace Corp volunteer and live in exotic places after retirement. Instead, she found herself "looking into a black tunnel." "All your projections for your future are changed and you see yourself jerking and stumbling," she said. "You grieve all of that."... "Here is it 12 years later and I'm still pretty mobile," says Kha. She walks one-and-a-half miles to the Raging Sage coffee shop three or four times a week for spirited discussions with a group that calls itself the Liars Club. She does artwork every day, and she writes raps, which she has performed as far away as Wales... Wesley Ulmanek, 80, was diagnosed with Parkinson's five years ago. An electrician who used to travel widely for his jobs in construction, he says Parkinson's "brings attention to the fact that you are losing control of your muscles." The answer: "You have to keep moving. Moving is life."

6 "My doctor says the exercise is the best medicine I can take," says Ulmanek, who also takes 20 meds per day... Farley says one consequence of Parkinson's is that people begin to use small, slow movements. They don't even notice it. She helps them become aware of this and to overcome it as much as possible... "It's time we really show that wellness and prevention like this can have life-long effects, not only on the person's quality of life but on the cost of health care," she says. EDUCATION & EVENTS POWER OVER PARKINSON'S SYMPOSIUMS Payson August 27, 2015 Verde Valley September 18, 2015 Sierra Vista October 1, 2015 Bullhead City October 22, 2015 Lake Havasu October 23, 2015 Scottsdale November 5, 2015 Sun City/Peoria November 6, 2015 Green Valley November 11, 2015 Prescott December 4, 2015 Mesa December 5, 2015 Tucson (West) December 10, 2015 Tucson (East) January 22, 2016 Yuma February 18, 2016 Nogales April 14, 2016 Optimism Walk - October 10, 2o15 Midwestern University, Phoenix, AZ Know someone who would like to get involved? Forward Not yet signed up to receive our s? Join Now SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING ON OUR SOCIAL SITES

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