Medicare & Parkinson’s: What You Need to Know

Tricia Sandiego is the Senior Advisor for AARP’s Caregiving & Health team and a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) experienced in health communication and promotion and public health research and practice. Her current work focuses on strategy for educating the 50+ and their families on caregiving and healthcare through programs, online tools and resources. She serves as a spokesperson on caregiving topics for multicultural Asian American Pacific Islander outreach and live events like webinars and teletown halls. Tricia leads caregiving employer outreach work for AARP, equipping employers with practical tips, guidance, and free resources on how to offer supports for working family caregivers.

Prior to joining AARP, she held positions working at the National Cancer Institute and on Federal contracts for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the National Institutes of Health. She has a background in health disparities and behavioral health. She holds an MHS in public health from Johns Hopkins University, a BA and post-graduate certificate in Healthcare Management from McGill University, and is PMP certified by the Project Management Institute.

Lance M. Wilson is a Neuroscience Medical Social Worker who works with patients diagnosed with movement disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease. He provides education to people with PD and helps them navigate the healthcare system. Lance has the skill set to assess and facilitate interventions, make referrals to community/national resources, and conduct brief therapy while offering support and guidance throughout the course of the disease.

Lance has professionally worked in the medical, mental health, and public health field for over five years and is often asked to speak on a variety of topics in both academia and the community.

Lance is a Licensed Social Worker (LSW) in the State of Pennsylvania, having attended Lincoln University of PA and Bryn Mawr College’s Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research. He holds C-SWHC (Certified Social Worker in Health Care) and ASW-G (Advanced Social Worker in Gerontology) certifications from the National Association of Social Workers. Currently, Lance is pursuing his PhD in Social Work from Widener University’s College of Health & Human Services as well as working on completing supervision to obtain his clinical social work licensure.

Adolfo Diaz is the Associate Vice President of Information & Resources at the Parkinson's Foundation. Adolfo developed, launched and oversees the Foundation’s Helpline, a virtual contact center handling approximately 20,000 cases a year. The Helpline provides people living with Parkinson's disease with accurate and up-to-date information, resources, and referrals to care and support services in their community. Additionally, he is responsible for the ongoing development and the production of conferences and webcasts, operational components of the Aware in Care Hospitalization program, publications, Centers of Excellence, Chapters, Young Onset and many other Foundation initiatives.

Prior to joining the Parkinson’s Foundation and providing physical therapy, his professional in both the clinic and hospital setting includes the sales and marketing of advanced wound care dressings and ostomy supplies, implants for reconstructive and traumatic orthopedic surgery, and diagnostic devices used in gynecology. Adolfo has degrees in Business Administration and in Physical Therapy, and has treated children, young adults and elderly patients in both the hospital and home settings, including several patients with Parkinson’s disease.