Over the weekend, several friends from Northern Virginia attended the American Parkinson's Disease Association (APDA) Virginia Education Day. I took lots of notes which I'm planning to share next week. In the meantime, we had fun chatting with Susan about getting ourselves and our stuff organized at a couple of our cafes this month. This is what we learned . . .
Getting Organized with Susan
We enjoyed our visits with Susan Kousek from Balanced Spaces at our cafes in Fairfax and Ashburn in September. We learned about how to create a home inventory by taking photos and recording items in an Excel spreadsheet or in Word. Or how to take a video and talk about the items you're focused on, but the method is harder to keep updated. Susan made the point that although we may think we know everything we own, we usually need to produce a home inventory after loss - for example, due to storm damage or fire. When we're dealing with a crisis like this, it's easy to forget things. Insurance companies also need to know things like how much an item cost and when it was purchased, so creating your list now, when you have more time to research might be easier. Susan also recommended that we contact our insurance company to determine the information it requires so we can replace the items we no longer have.
Susan covered other topics such as de-cluttering, time management, using a medical notebook, and managing paper. We all agreed that we could talk for much longer about medical records and paper stuff, so I'm pretty sure Susan will visiting a cafe near you again soon! In the meantime, click here for a handout (Do I love it?) with some questions to ask yourself while you're sorting through your stuff. Click here for another handout (Do I love it? - for closets) with questions to help you clean out your closet.
A note about seasonal items . . . now is the time to donate your winter items to charity, as it is difficult for them to store items between seasons. A couple of organizations that would really appreciate your donations are Women Giving Back for women's clothing because they help homeless women who are looking for work. The Lamb Center was also recommended for both women and men's clothing. Both organizations also appreciate other items like unopened make-up, toiletries, etc. Please check their websites for their wish lists.
Little Big Things™
Saturday, October 19,2019 from 3:30 pm ET
Where? Online, worldwide and from the comfort of your own home
What? A FREE dynamic community event inspired by innovations in Parkinson's.
A Little Big Things™ event, presented by the Davis Phinney Foundation and Sunovion, is coming to Austin, TX on October 19 and YOU can watch live from anywhere by clicking here to register. Sign up today and tune in on October 19 at 3:30 pm ET for a dynamic event featuring thought leaders and innovators from around the world taking action to help people with Parkinson’s live better today.
Music Therapy for Parkinson's
A couple of our friends attended the Kennedy Center REACH festival event on music therapy for Parkinson's and wrote to tell me that "it was really excellent". The instructor was Elizabeth Stegmoeller from Iowa State. (esteg@iastate.edu). It was also attended by Dianne Wawrzusin of the American Music Therapy Association. The association website has info on how to find music therapists in the area: www.musictherapy.org
The Arlington County 55+ program also has several music-related offerings.
Dance for Parkinson's
The Kennedy Center will be having dance therapy for Parkinson's events this fall and over the winter and spring.
Dance for Parkinson's Disease: Mark Morris Dance Group
Saturday, November 16, 2019 11:00 AM
www.kennedy-center.org/calendar/event/EUEDE
Dance for Parkinson's Disease: Lucy Bowen McCauley
Saturday, February 15, 2020 - Saturday, May 16, 2020
www.kennedy-center.org/calendar/event/EUEDR
They are free, but pre-registration is required. (Registration opens about a month before each event.) With the new REACH facilities, the Kennedy Center looks like it is expanding its offerings related to wellness.
From Senior Services Alexandria
Senior Speaker Series Program - “Wellness: Mind, Body & Spirit”!
Thursday, October 17, 9:30 am – 12 Noon
At: Beth El Hebrew Congregation, 3830 Seminary Road, Alexandria
Learn how you can benefit from alternative healing approaches, try out Tai Chi and Pilates exercise techniques, and get ideas on how to support an active life style through nutrition tips. Speakers will include the City’s Department of Recreation, Four Directions Wellness, Studio Body Logic and Inova Alexandria Hospital. This will be an informative and fun morning and it is all free with light refreshments.
RSVP online at www.seniorservicesalex.org or call 703-836-4414, ext. 110.
I hope this newsletter is helpful and we'll see you Out & About soon!
Cheers,
Sonia
email: Sonia@ParkinsonSocialNetwork.org
website: www.ParkinsonSocialNetwork.org
|
|
|
All underlined words and phrases are links for email or websites.
Parts of Out & About will be posted on our blog or community events pages.
There's also an archive for previous newsletters here.
|
|
Our events in October
Please help us with planning
and click on the links to RSVP for the events you'd like to attend
or send an email to Sonia@ParkinsonSocialNetwork.org.
Family and friends are welcome to join us, too! |
|
|
Side by Side Support Groups -
Wednesday, October 9
For those with Parkinson’s and those who care . . .
10:30 am - 12:30 pm (light refreshments/potluck* - click here to RSVP)
2nd Wednesday of each month at
Virginia Hospital Center, Urgent Care - Carlin Springs
601 S Carlin Springs Rd, Arlington, VA 22204
Enter via the Urgent Care Center entrance, turn right into the Wellness Room
A new kind of support group in Northern Virginia!
Two support groups, each in their own space next to each other.
1) For caregivers – to share and learn from each other
2) For people with Parkinson’s – to engage in group activities and share with each other.
Free and all are welcome!
*If you'd like to bring munchies to share, they will definitely be appreciated!
To help us with planning, please let us know if you’d like to attend.
Click here to RSVP or email Sonia@ParkinsonSocialNetwork.org
|
|
|
Cafe Fairfax - Wednesday, October 16
10:00 am to 12 noon (coffee & donuts - click here to RSVP)
Our visitor this month will be Courtney Arroyo
Emergency Management Specialist, Planning and Policy Analysis Division, and Access and Functional Needs Integration Liaison with the Fairfax County Office of Emergency Management. Courtney visited us last December and has a wealth of information about how to prepare for emergencies.
3rd Wednesday of each month at:
Insight Memory Care Center,
Linda and Lou Mazawey Education & Support Center
3955 Pender Drive, Suite 100, Fairfax, VA 22030 map
Call (703) 204-4664 for directions.
DIRECTIONS:
From Waples Mill Road turn onto Pender Drive.
Then turn right at the 2nd driveway;
head straight back,
the road will curve around to the left and 3955 will be on your left.
But wait! There's more!
Classes for Caregivers follow Cafe Fairfax from 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
- Topic for October: Understanding Care Options
- Dementia care is not one size fits all. Each person, each stage, and each family is unique. Come and learn about multiple care options to plan and evaluate what is right for your family.
We are welcome to stay at Insight after the cafe, and participate in this program that is specifically designed to assist family caregivers.
All sessions are FREE, and respite care may be available by request; please notify us when registering to confirm availability.
To register, contact Lindsey Vajpeyi at lindsey.vajpeyi@insightmcc.org or 703-204-4664.
Click here to check out Insight's events calendar for details about their other classes, workshops, support groups, and social events.
|
|
|
Cafe Alexandria - Monday, October 21
11:00 am to 1:00 pm (light lunch - click here to RSVP )
3rd Monday of each month at:
Brandywine Living at Alexandria
5550 Cardinal Place, Alexandria, VA 22304 map
Call (703) 940-3300 for directions.
PARKING is underground and accessible from the back of the building.
|
|
|
Cafe Ashburn - Wednesday, October 23
11:00 am to 1:00 pm (light lunch - click here to RSVP)
We are doing something quite different this month!
Dr. David Whitney, the new Movement Disorder Specialist with Inova will be speaking to a local networking group, the Loudoun Senior Interest Network or LSIN. You may be familiar with LSIN if you picked up their directory at one of our cafes. We are welcome to join LSIN to hear Dr. Whitney speak and enjoy a delicious lunch. You'll also have the opportunity to meet representatives from various local businesses that provide services and resources for long term care.
I hope you can join us but it is imperative that you RSVP for this event - please!
I need to get numbers to the staff at Waltonwood because as you can imagine this will be a large event for their kitchen to cater for. If you have any questions about this event or Dr. Whitney, please contact me at Sonia@ParkinsonSocialNetwork.org and I'm happy to help.
4th Wednesday of each month at:
Waltonwood at Ashburn
44141 Russell Branch Pkwy, Ashburn, VA 20147 map
Call (571) 266-1810 for directions.
|
|
|
At our cafés we help each other
to make the most of life with Parkinson's.
We welcome anyone living with Parkinson's and related movement disorders, as well as family and friends. You'll find more information about our cafes on our Cafes page.
Come for the coffee, stay for the company and conversation!
|
|
|
Our events in November
Please help us with planning
|
|
|
Saturday, November 9, 10:30 am - 1:30 pm
Caring for our Caregivers ~
PSN's 2nd Annual Caregiver Appreciation Luncheon
Our PSN Board of Directors is well into planning this special event for our caregivers. We would love your help and feedback to make this another happy event for caregivers. Please mark the date on your calendar, and drop me a line if you'd like to help!
At: Insight Memory Care Center (the main building)
3953 Pender Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030
In recognition of National Family Caregivers Month Parkinson Social Network is honoring family caregivers in our Parkinson’s community. You are invited to our second annual caregiver appreciation luncheon to relax, refresh and enjoy!
Featuring door prizes, coffee and donuts, and buffet luncheon.
Our keynote speaker will be Martha Brettschneider . . .
Mindfulness teacher, speaker, writer, and photographer, with a passion for inspiring and supporting mindful living.
If you need someone to care for your significant other, we have arranged activities and lunch in an adjacent room. To make arrangements for care, please register by Friday, October 25, 2019.
Please help us to make this a Very Special Event and register by Friday, October 25. Limited seating for this event, so don’t delay!
Questions? Please contact Sonia at Sonia@ParkinsonSocialNetwork.org or 571-286-5000. To register, please go to our website: https://parkinsonsocialnetwork.org/caring-for-our-caregivers
|
|
|
With your contribution we can continue to educate, advocate, support and enrich the lives of those touched by Parkinson's disease.
Click here or on the button below to . . .
Parkinson Social Network
is registered as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. |
|
|
If you've received this email from a friend and would like to receive our newsletters directly, please click here to register your email address.
About unsubscribing . . .
If you've received this email from a friend, and do not wish to receive anymore, please contact your friend. If you unsubscribe through the link below, you will unsubscribe your friend, instead of yourself.
|
|
|
Disclaimer:
The inclusion of announcements, logos or website links on this site does not constitute an endorsement by the Parkinson Social Network of the products, programs or services we include in our newsletters or on our website.
|
|
|
|
|
