Organizations providing Parkinson's Disease Support

Address for Correspondence:
Emad N. Eskandar, M.D.
Massachusetts General Hospital
15 Parkman St. ACC # 331
Boston, MA 02114

E-mail: eeskandar@partners.org
Patient Appointments: 617.724.6590
FAX: 617.724.0339

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The APDA has 47 Information and Referral Centers, 80 chapters, and more than 350 support groups located throughout the United States. They can help you find the right neurologist, provide you with booklets and pamphlets that will help you better understand Parkinson's disease, and set you up with the best speech and physical therapists available locally. Many centers offer lectures and/or clinics on a regular basis as well. In addition, these centers can refer you to social workers or lawyers that can help you plan financially. Perhaps most important of all, each APDA Information and Referral Center will help you connect with a support group in your area. Nothing compares with meeting someone who is going through the same things you are.

Central Ohio Parkinson Society

3166 Redding Road,
Columbus OH 43221
614 481 8829

Michigan Parkinson Foundation

3990 John Road
Detroit MI48201
313 745-2000

National Parkinson Foundation, Inc.

1501 N.W. Ninth Avenue
Miami, FL 33136
(305) 547-6666
800 327-4545

The National Parkinson Foundation. Known primarily for its diagnosis, treatment, and research center in Miami, Florida, this organisation was founded in 1957 by the late S. Jay Levey and continues to be supported by Bob Hope, its honorary chairman. Affiliated with the University of Miami School of Medicine, the foundation offers an outpatient treatment facility that attracts patients from all over the country to visit resident neurologists and participate in physical, speech, and occupational therapy. Informational booklets and a quarterly newsletter are available upon request. The foundation has established research centers at Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut; The Graduate Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee; Baylor Medical School in Houston, Texas; University of Southern California and Loma Linda University in Los Angeles, California.

There are NPF affiliate chapters in Orange County, California; Mt. Diablo, Walnut Creek, California; Redding, California; the Sacramento Valley, California; Kansas City, Missouri; Topeka, Kansas; and Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Click here for contact information. As well as the Capitol Chapter (Washington, D.C.). which has it's own web site.

Parkinson's Action Network

822 College Avenue, Ste. C
Santa Rosa, CA 95404
(707)544-1994 Phone
(800)820-4716 Phone
(707)544-2363 FAX
email: ParkActNet@AOL.com

• The Parkinson's Action Network (PAN) was founded in 1991 to provide a unified, national voice for the Parkinson's community and to promote a level of research support sufficient to produce effective treatment and a cure before the end of the decade. This has required:
• Developing an informed and effective grassroots network, involving individuals afflicted with the disease, their families, Parkinson's foundations, support organizations and interested scientists.
• Increasing public awareness of Parkinson's disease and its impact on individuals, on health costs, and on the country as a whole.
• Working to strengthen the Parkinson's research program conducted by the National Institutes of Health, through monitoring of the program and relationships with key officials and staff of NIH and the several Parkinson's related institutes.
• Working with Congress and the Clinton Administration, directly and through grassroots advocacy, to increase their awareness of the needs of the Parkinson's community and the impact of their decision-making on that community.

The Parkinson's Disease Foundation is affliated with Columbia University, the PDF places primary emphasis on research to find the cause and cure for Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson Foundation of Canada

Nova Scotia Division Office:
Room 214, 2786 Agricola Street,
Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3K 4E1
Telephone: (902) 454-2468
FAX: (902) 454-2468
Toll Free Line Nova Scotia & Prince Edward Island: 1-800-663-2468

The Nova Scotia Division of the Parkinson Foundation of Canada seeks to expand knowledge and understanding about Parkinsons by developing appropriate patient services; by promoting public awareness about Parkinsons, and by providing funding for research into the cause, early detection, effective, accessible treatment, and, ultimately, the discovery of a cure of Parkinsons. Click here to go to the Homepage of the Nova Scotia Division of the Parkinson Foundation of Canada

The Parkinson's Society of Ottawa-Carleton

1053 Carling Avenue,
Ottawa, Ontario. K1Y 4E9
Telephone: (613) 722-9238

The Parkinson's Society of Ottawa-Carleton is a voluntary, non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for persons with Parkinson's disease and their families. Programs and services are designed to suit the patient's physical, social, cultural and health requirements. At the same time, the aim is to encourage and facilitate the greatest degree of independence. Information and non-medical advice are provided to patients, families, caregivers and other interested persons. The Society supports research programs designed to improve health care through the clinical and basic science fields. The Society recognizes its responsibility to work co-operatively with all members of the health systems, especially the medical and nursing staffs providing care to patients and their families. The Society co-operates with The Parkinson Foundation of Canada in disseminating information on Parkinson's disease but is not formally affiliated with that body. Click here to go to the Capital Freenet Resource of the Parkinson's Society of Ottawa-Carleton

The Parkinson's Institute (California)

1170 Morse Ave.
Sunnyvale CA 94089
408-734-2800

The United Parkinson Foundation

The United Parkinson's Foundation
and the International Tremor Foundation
833 West Washington Boulevard
Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 733 1893

Founded in Chicago in 1963 to keep patients educated about the latest developments in Parkinson's disease research, the UPF sends regular newsletters and other literature, usually free of charge upon request, to interested patients and caregivers. About half of its funds, raised through public donations, are spent on research grants. The UPF also sponsors regional seminars featuring internationally known neurologists and other experts on Parkinson's disease.

Young Parkinson's Support Network of California.

APDA Young Parkinson's I & R Center
1041 Foxenwood Drive
Santa Maria, CA 93455
telephone: 800 223-9776, 805 934-2216

YPSN of CA is a state-wide support network focusing on people living with young-onset Parkinson's disease. Young-onset implies the symptoms of Parkinson's disease become noticable before age 40. The word young does not mean recently or newly diagnosed. We have one member aged 56 who as had PD for 40 years. The majority of membership is in the age group of 35 - 55. The concerns of the membership beyond that of medications and therapies are employment, insurance, disability, sexuality, female and male problems, changes in family dynamics and other concerns of members in this age group confronting a cronic illness.

YPSN has support groups around the state that have monthly meetings. The state-wide network meets two or three times yearly in various locations around the state of California.

Publishes the highly recommended Movers & Shakers Newsletter.

Other Young Parkinson's Support Groups

Please contact the APDA Young Parkinson's Information and Referral Center for information on these groups.

APDA Young Parkinson's I & R Center
1041 Foxenwood Drive
Santa Maria, CA 93455
telephone: 800 223-9776, 805 934-2216

Also see the Parkinson's Web listing for up-to-date and non-US young parkinson's groups' contact information

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