Meeting: Thursday, February 8, 2024 -  7:00 - 8:30 p.m.

PRESENTER: Sarah Cohen, PT, DPT, Administrator, Center for Parkinson's Disease, Stony Brook Southampton Hospital

TOPIC: Falls Prevention and Parkinson's: What can you do to Stay Steady

People  living with Parkinson's disease are twice as likely as healthy older  adults to fall and demonstrate a nine-fold increase in recurrent falls.  Yet, falls are often preventable. Join us for this discussion on the why  we should care about falls, what are  the PD-specific falls risk factors, and most importantly, what you can  do to decrease your fall risk and stay steady!

WHERE:  Glen Eddy senior residence, 

1 Glen Eddy Drive, Niskayuna NY 12309

Directions 

Use main entrance. Park in upper lot along the stone wall. Meeting room is on second floor. Elevator and stairs are off the lobby to the left.

This meeting will be a hybrid meeting.

You are encouraged to attend in-person at Glen Eddy.

OR Attend by Zoom.

Meeting

SUBJ:  Dr. Kevin Mansfield, new neurosurgeon at Albany Medical Center, on deep brain stimulation for Parkinson’s treatment

(Regular monthly meeting of Capital District Parkinson’s Support Group)

WHEN:  Thursday, January 11, 2024, 7:00 - 8:30 p.m.

WHERE:  Glen Eddy senior residence, 1 Glen Eddy Drive, Niskayuna NY 12309

Kevin Mansfield, M.D. joined the Department of Neurosurgery at Albany Med in 2023. As a fellowship-trained functional neurosurgeon, Dr. Mansfield specializes in the surgical treatment of chronic conditions that affect a person’s functions and abilities, such as movement disorders. Dr. Mansfield will discuss deep brain stimulation (DBS), which involves placement of electrical devices that can directly change brain activity in a controlled manner. Questions and answers will be encouraged, and refreshments will be served.

Dr. Mansfield will be joined by Thomas Robb of Boston Scientific Corp., a leading DBS technology manufacturer.

Directions to Glen Eddy, 1 Glen Eddy Drive, Niskayuna:

Use main entrance. Park in upper lot along the stone wall. Meeting room is on second floor. Elevator and stairs are off the lobby to the left.

This meeting will be a hybrid meeting.

You are encouraged to attend in-person at Glen Eddy.

OR Attend by Zoom.

TO ATTEND BY ZOOM MEETING:

2023 Holiday Party Saturday, Dec. 2nd

at the Glen Eddy Senior Living Center

starting at noon and going through 3:00

Respond by Tuesday, November 21.

We have given the food order to the chef.

Registration is closed. 

What: Capital District Parkinson’s Support Group

When: Thursday, November 9, 2023 - 7:00 p.m.

Where: 

 (** NEW MEETING PLACE *** ) (Directions)

Glen Eddy Senior Living

1 Glen Eddy Drive, Niskayuna, NY 12309 

(Use main entrance. Park in upper lot along the stone wall. Meeting room is on second floor. Elevator and stairs are off the lobby to the left.)

Speaker: Dr. Eric Molho, Director of Albany Medical Center’s Movement Disorder Center

Program: What’s current, what’s hot in Parkinson’s research, treatment, technology, etc. Question-and-answer format. Light refreshments served

This meeting will be a hybrid meeting.

You are encouraged to attend in-person at Glen Eddy 

OR Attend by Zoom.

TO ATTEND BY ZOOM MEETING

Social Security and Medicare 101:

• What is Social Security and who can participate?

• What are my Medicare options?

• How do Social Security and Medicare work together?

• What do Medicare Parts A – D cover?

• What should I consider in my decision about collecting Social Security early?

These questions, and more, will be covered in this presentation. Bring your questions with you!

 

Presented by:

• Patricia Stanley, Senior Analyst Community relation specialist with Atena 

• Sonde Wechgelaer, Licensed Sales Agent with OB 1 Insurance  agency.

Patricia is a lifelong resident of the greater Capital  Region.  She has  been in the Medicare Sales field for the last 15 years  with her most recent past position as a Health Care Advocate working in  all 3 major medical facilities in the Capital  Region.

Sonde is a lifelong resident of the greater Saratoga Springs region, where she raised her family.  She has been a  practicing RN for the last 25 years with an addition of Insurance Sales  for the past 5 years.

Here's the PDF of Medicare Booklet from the Social Secuirty Admnistration which was the basis of the slides presented. 

Presented by Rosemary (Rose) Gallagher, PT, DPT, PhD
Associate Professor and Admissions Coordinator

Parkinson's Foundation Physical Therapy Faculty Scholar

New York Institute of Technology
Program in Physical Therapy

Rose has a passion for helping people with PD get out into  the wilderness. Whether you have done door activities in the past and have given them up, or you have found a way to stay connected with the wilderness, or you want to learn about the benifits of outdoor activities and how you can get started, this meeting is for you. 

This meeting will be a hybrid meeting.

You can Attend in-person at Albany Med OR Attend by Zoom.

Not sure which you will do? Register for both to keep your options open.

NOTE: change of presenters. The presentation on Deep Brain Stimulation will be January 11, 2024

TO ATTEND IN-PERSO/N AT ALBANY MED

Location: Huyck Auditorium at Albany Medical Center. (Directions)

• Register for in-person attendance (We  will give this list of attendees to the AMC Security Desk, which will speed up your entry.)

TO ATTEND BY ZOOM MEETING

Register to attend online

When: Sunday, August 27, noon to 3

Where: The Crossings Park, South Pavilion,

580 Albany Shaker Rd., Colonie, NY.

Our support group will provide assorted sandwiches, seltzer and water.

Please use the link below to sign up and to let us know what food you will bring.

We also need helpers - please sign up below if you can take on a task.

RSVP by August 21st. If you can't commit by the 21st, you are welcome to register later.

Directions:
Enter the park from Albany Shaker Rd. Follow the park road to it's end.

Tell us how many will attend

Sign up for the potluck

Presented by Kiera Druhan, MT-BC

Neurologic Music Therapist

MEDRhythms, Inc.

Neurologic Music Therapy (NMT)™ is the therapeutic application of music to cognitive, sensory, and motor dysfunctions due to neurologic disease of the human nervous system. NMT has developed standardized interventions and clinical techniques for the use of music to address non-musical goals such as mobility, speech, language, and areas of cognition. These techniques rely on the music perception and production for inducing neuroplastic changes in the brain. NMT has shown to be effective with a variety of populations including stroke, traumatic brain injury, Parkinson’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, and more.  This presentation will include a brief overview of the neuroscience of music as well as demonstrate several NMT treatment techniques and how you can incorporate them into everyday life.

This meeting will be a hybrid meeting.

You can

• Attend in-person at Albany Med OR

• Attend by Zoom.

Not sure which you will do? Register for both to keep your options open.

TO ATTEND IN-PERSON AT ALBANY MED

• Location: Huyck Auditorium at Albany Medical Center.

• Directions to Huyck Auditorium at AMC

Register for in-person attendance (We  will give this list of attendees to the AMC Security Desk, which will speed up your entry.)

TO ATTEND BY ZOOM MEETING

Register to attend online [link removed]

Handout shown at meeting ( one page PDF)

https://www.cdparkinsons.org/_files/ugd/304770_2a916eee509540bc991e815f6c878731.pdf

In their work, Nina and Liz cover all the aspects of downsizing, from emotional issues, to decluttering,  to the specifics of the real estate process. 

This meeting will be a hybrid meeting.

You can

• Attend in-person at Albany Med OR

• Attend by Zoom.

Not sure which you will do? Register for both to keep your options open.

TO ATTEND IN-PERSON AT ALBANY MED

• Location: Huyck Auditorium at Albany Medical Center.

• Directions to Huyck Auditorium at AMC

Register for in-person attendance (We  will give this list of attendees to the AMC Security Desk, which will speed up your entry.)

TO ATTEND BY ZOOM MEETING

Register to attend online [link disabled for past meeting] and recieve the Zoom meeting link

==========

Resources mentioned in the meeting that may be helpful:

Transitioning from Driver to Passenger

From https://www.thehartford.com/resources/mature-market-excellence/dementia-driving

The Hartford Center for Mature Market Excellence® partnered with the MIT AgeLab to conduct research to bring clarity to the very serious and emotional issue of dementia and driving and to help drivers and their families plan a successful transition from driver to passenger.

When it’s time for loved ones with dementia to stop driving and how to help them cope with driving cessation. download or order your free copy of At the Crossroads (Family Conversations about Alzheimer’s Disease, Dementia & Driving).

Worksheets Excerpted From At the Crossroads Guidebook

• Agreement With My Family Worksheet

• Conversation Planner Worksheet

• Driving Activities Worksheet

• Getting There Worksheet

• Not Going It Alone Worksheet

• Warning Signs Worksheet

Senior Transportation Options Directory provided by the Albany Guardian Society

https://albanyguardiansociety.org/

Transportation is a vital link for seniors to remain active and independent in their community. New in 2021, the “Transportation Options for Senior Adults in the Capital Region” directory provides the name, contact information, specific services provided, hours of service, accommodations, and fees for the senior transportation options in Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga, and Schenectady counties.

https://albanyguardiansociety.org/

==========

The  ability to drive safely is important in order to remain independent and  connected in social activities.  This presentation will discuss how  Parkinson’s Disease can affect the  skills necessary to drive safely and how you can be proactive in  addressing driving concerns.  This presentation will provide information  on;

• Facts about aging and driving

• Parkinson’s disease and medications

• What is a driving evaluation

• Deciding when it is time to quit

• Driving alternatives

• New York State DMV re-examination Process

This meeting was a hybrid meeting.

You can

• Attend in-person at Albany Med OR

• Attend by Zoom.

Not sure which you will do? Register for both to keep your options open.

TO ATTEND IN-PERSON AT ALBANY MED

• Location: Huyck Auditorium at Albany Medical Center.

• Directions to Huyck Auditorium at AMC

Register for in-person attendance (We  will give this list of attendees to the AMC Security Desk, which will speed up your entry.)

TO ATTEND BY ZOOM MEETING

Use this link to register in advance for this meeting:

[deleted link]

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Join Dr. Robert Cochrane for an hour of fun, engagement and cognitively  challenging imrprovisation and storytelling games. Robert’s  evidence-based program was developed through a series of clinical trials in his doctoral studies in the Interdisciplinary Health Sciences  department at the University of Nevada Las Vegas. Parrticipants report  increases in confidence, creativity and communication. We also laugh a  lot. People with Parkinson’s, Care partners, family members and medical / wellness providers are all invited to join in as Robert’s approach  works to bring the whole PD community together to help us all get what  we need.

See more about Yes and.... Exercise (YAX) here https://www.yesandexercise.org/

Consider making a donation to YAX  Pay it forward https://www.yesandexercise.org/basic-01 

Read more about Robert and his 

This meeting will be a hybrid meeting.

You can 

• Attend in-person at Albany Med OR

• Attend by Zoom.

Not sure which you will do? Register for both to keep your options open.

TO ATTEND IN-PERSON AT ALBANY MED

• Location: Huyck Auditorium at Albany Medical Center.

• Directions to Huyck Auditorium at AMC

Register for in-person attendance (We will give this list of attendees to the AMC Security Desk, which will speed up your entry.)

TO ATTEND BY ZOOM MEETING

Register to attend online and recieve the Zoom meeting link

Register to attend via Zoom 

Presented by Melonie Pratt and Renee Birnbaum, advisors from Choice Connections NY,  A Free Senior Housing Advisory Service 

Would  you like to understand Long Term Care?   This presentation will focus  on the different types of care available, associated costs and levels of  care. It will help  you understand senior housing care options, amenities, costs and levels  of care as well as home care options and costs. There will be a review  of funding options available to help pay for care that include VA  benefits, long term care (LTC) insurance and Medicaid.  You will also learn about other resources available in the community  that help supplement care; grants, day programs, and volunteer  organizations.

This meeting will be via Zoom only.  

 After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

NOTE: ChoiceConnections does not charge the senior or their family a fee for their help, but if a senior moves to a community that a ChoiceConnections advisor recommends, then ChoiceConnections collects a one-time fee from that community. The fee is a percentage of the first month's rent. That fee does not affect the rent.

Meeting materials:

Choice Connections brochure

Long Term Care

VA disability compensation

+VA disability compensation (pay) offers a monthly tax-free payment to Veterans who got sick or injured while serving in the military and to Veterans whose service made an existing condition worse. You may qualify for VA disability benefits for physical conditions (like a chronic illness or injury) and mental health conditions (like PTSD) that developed before, during, or after service. Find out how to apply for and manage the Veterans disability benefits you've earned.

Get VA disability compensation (pay)

Manage your Veterans disability benefits

More information and resources

Other VA benefits and services

Get VA disability compensation (pay)
https://www.va.gov/disability/