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Join the Parkinson's Foundation Great Lakes Chapter for Navigating Advancing Needs!
Check-in starts at 12:00 p.m. and the program starts at 1:00 p.m.
Navigating Parkinson’s disease involves looking ahead, learning and adjusting as symptoms and needs change. This program addresses some of the challenges of advancing PD and explores strategies to prepare for the future, including how to evolve your care plans and treatments throughout progression so you can live your best life with PD now.
Speakers
Jennifer Saigal, MD
University of Michigan Neurology Clinic
Erin Cecchi, LMSW
University of Michigan Movement Disorders Program
Kristy M. Brown, LMT
University of Michigan Tai Chi Fall Prevention at the Turner Senior Resource Center
There is no charge to attend, but registration is required. This program is open to people with Parkinson's, their families, friends, and the community.
Check-in and Resource Fair 12:00 p.m.
Program starts 1:00 p.m. Program ends 3:00 p.m.
Parkinson’s Champions athletes raise funds and awareness for the Parkinson’s Foundation while competing in some of the world’s most popular races. Every step we take brings us closer to a future without Parkinson’s disease, because Parkinson’s isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon.
This program offers an introduction and basic overview of Parkinson’s disease (PD). PD varies from person to person and changes over time. Discover its causes, common symptoms, available treatments and effective strategies for managing them. Learn practical daily living tips to empower you to take charge of your health and to navigate the challenges of living with PD.
Speaker
Kristen Matulis, DNP, AGNP-C
Movement Disorders, Nurse Practitioner
Department of Neurology
UT Health Science Center at San Antonio
There is no charge to attend, but registration is required. This program is open to people with Parkinson's, their family, friends, and the community.
Parkinson’s Champions athletes raise funds and awareness for the Parkinson’s Foundation while competing in some of the world’s most popular races. Every step we take brings us closer to a future without Parkinson’s disease, because Parkinson’s isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon.
How to Address Sleep Disorders in Parkinson’s for Sounder Slumber
Good sleep is not just important for brain function – it is essential for whole-body well-being. Sleep fuels heart and gut health, immune function and more. Sleep disturbances can be common in Parkinson’s disease (PD), but getting a good night’s sleep is possible. Discover how to identify and manage symptoms of insomnia, restless leg syndrome (RLS) and REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD).
The following article is based on a Parkinson’s Foundation Expert Briefing about managing sleep disturbances, hosted by Roneil G. Malkani, MD, associate professor, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, and neurologist, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, a Parkinson’s Foundation Center of Excellence.
While people are meant to spend about a third of their day sleeping, Parkinson’s-related brain changes and disease symptoms can disrupt the body’s internal clock.
These challenges, coupled with excess daytime sleepiness, can create a vicious cycle. Too much sleep during the day and fragmented sleep at night can cause fatigueand impact movement, function, mood and well-being.
Tackling Insomnia
Like good health, restful slumber takes work, often requiring daily exercise and time outside in natural daylight. Limiting naps, winding down before bed, minimizing screentime, sticking to a bedtime schedule and keeping a dark, cool bedroom are also key to deep sleep. Sometimes, just stepping out of bed when feeling restless to pursue a quiet activity until feeling tired can make all the difference.
However, even when following best practices for sleep, insomnia can persist in Parkinson’s:
As levodopa wears off, tremor or other movement symptoms can increase, making turning over in bed difficult.
Age-related aches or arthritis can also flare up at night.
Nocturia, the need to frequently urinate throughout the night, can affect as many as 60% of people with PD. An enlarged prostate can also increase urinary urgency for men.
Depression and anxiety, common and often undertreated in people with PD, can exacerbate sleeplessness. So can stress. Conversely, insomnia can cause mood changes and stress.
Sleep apnea, disrupted breathing during sleep, can impact nearly half of people with PD.
If tossing and turning continue despite a healthy sleeping environment, talk to your doctor, who can review and adjust the dosage and timing of current medications and get to the root of sleep problems. Tools used to diagnose sleep disorders often include your medical history, a sleep journal or a sleep study.
Insomnia treatment should be personalized to your individual needs and symptoms, and might include:
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), strategies learned in person or online designed to tackle behaviors and thinking that interfere with good sleep.
Learned relaxation techniques, such as progressive muscle relaxation, silent repetition of certain calming words or phrases (autogenic training) or use of positive mental visualization (guided imagery).
Sleep restriction, which initially limits time in bed with the aim of promoting longer, deeper sleep.
Bright light therapy to lessen daytime sleepiness.
Your doctor might combine sleep therapy with medication. Common insomnia medications include:
Melatonin
Sleep-promoting z-hypnotics (zolpidem, eszopiclone and zaleplon) and benzodiazepines (clonazepam and temazepam)
Wakefulness-inhibiting therapies including trazadone, tricyclic antidepressants (amitriptyline and doxepin), mirtazapine, orexin antagonists (suvorexant, lemborexant and daridorexant), melatonergics (melatonin and ramelteon) and quetiapine
Other PD-related insomnia therapies can include safinamide, doxepin and eszopiclone.
Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS)
People who experience Willis-Ekbom disease, commonly known as restless leg syndrome, can feel an uncomfortable urge to move, as well as tingling, burning, aching or crawling sensations in the legs. While there isn’t always a known cause, RLS can be linked to neurological changes, medications, including some antidepressants, or iron deficiency. When RLS is suspected, based on a person’s symptoms, evaluating iron levels is necessary.
Treatments for iron deficiency include oral or intravenous iron. If iron levels are sufficient and symptoms continue, there are other treatment options available, including:
Alpha-2-delta ligands – gabapentin, pregabalin and gabapentin enacarbil.
Benzodiazepines, including clonazepam.
Medications such as dipyridamole or amantadine or in severe cases, opioids.
Tonic motor activation (TOMAC) is a new, below-the-knee nerve stimulation treatment approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for moderate to severe RLS that can be used periodically throughout the day.
Though there is a strong relationship between Parkinson’s and RLS, researchers are discovering that the underlying causes of each disease may be very different. Parkinson's is connected to midbrain dopamine loss, while RLS seems to be linked to signaling changes in other areas of the brain.
Dopamine medications commonly used for PD were also once a mainstay RLS treatment. Evidence now shows long-term use of dopamine medications in people with RLS can sometimes cause brain signaling and RLS symptoms to worsen. In someone with Parkinson’s, careful tailoring of dopamine medications used to manage movement symptoms can also be effective in managing RLS symptoms.
REM Sleep Behavior Disorder (RBD)
During the rapid eye movement (REM) stage of sleep, when dreaming happens, typically only the eyes move. The brain shuts down large-body movement as a protective measure. Neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s, are linked to REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) failure of this on-off switch. Sleep apnea and antidepressant use can also be linked to RBD.
RBD can cause someone to physically act out their dreams. A person might talk in their sleep, use harsh language or scream, or fall or jump out of bed. These vivid dreams can be mild or incredibly disruptive and may cause injury to the dreamer or their bed partner.
Nearly 50% of people with Parkinson’s report REM sleep behavior disorder symptoms, which can precede a Parkinson’s diagnosis by several years.
Creating a safe sleeping environment is essential for someone experiencing RBD symptoms:
Remove any objects that present a risk for injury.
If possible, lower the mattress to reduce fall risk.
Place protective cushioning on the corners of bedside furniture.
Add cushioning to the headboard, a bedrail to prevent falls and a mat or carpet beside the bed to cushion accidental falls.
Bed partners may get deeper sleep using a pillow barrier or separate bed.
A sleep study can diagnose or rule out RBD and medications are often used to manage symptoms. Treatments may include:
Melatonin (3 to 12 milligrams)
Clonazepam (.25 to 2 milligrams at bedtime) or pramipexole
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There are many non-motor challenges associated with Parkinson's disease that may not always by easy to discuss. With a focus on cognition and speech, this program will provide strategies for coping and talking about it with healthcare providers or loved ones.
Expert Speakers
Mitesh Lotia, MD
AdventHealth Neuroscience Institute
Jennifer Gelb, MS, CCC-SLP
Speech Language Pathologist
Director of Speech Therapy Services
Lake Centre Rehabilitation
Parkinson’s Champions athletes raise funds and awareness for the Parkinson’s Foundation while competing in some of the world’s most popular races. Every step we take brings us closer to a future without Parkinson’s disease, because Parkinson’s isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon.
Join the Parkinson’s Foundation in-person or online for the Great Lakes Chapter Parkinson’s Symposium.
Hear about current and upcoming treatments, ongoing research, and resources available in your community to help you live your best life with Parkinson’s.
Speakers
Maggie Caulfield, PhD
Director of Research
Parkinson's Foundation
Amy Mook, MS, MPH, CGC
Certified Genetic Counselor
University of Michigan
Special presentation from the new Kirk Gibson Center and other local resources.
For in-person attendees: In-person check in starts at 10 a.m.
For virtual attendees, via Zoom: The live stream starts at 11 a.m.
There is no charge to attend, but registration is required. This program is open to people with Parkinson's, their family, friends and the community.
This program is in partnership with Michigan Medicine.
Parkinson’s Champions athletes raise funds and awareness for the Parkinson’s Foundation while competing in some of the world’s most popular races. Every step we take brings us closer to a future without Parkinson’s disease, because Parkinson’s isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon.
This session will focus on each of the areas of exercise, recommended by the Parkinson’s Foundation, including cardio, flexibility, agility, coordination, balance, and strength, while participating in an engaging, fun, and powerful exercise session. Exercises included can be incorporate into your daily exercise regimen, with the goal of maximizing safe, functional mobility and delaying the progression of Parkinson’s disease symptoms.
Equipment needed: sturdy chair, water, towel, light dumbbells if available (may also use bottled water or soup cans, if you do not have access to dumbbells)
Instructor
Allison Boshart, Physical Therapist, DPT
PWR! (Parkinson's Wellness Recovery), Delay the Disease, LSVT Big
Instructor of the Premier Parkinson’s Wellness Program at Miami Valley Hospital North
Alec Heffner, AT, CSCS, TSAC-F, TPI F2
Total Health Works Parkinson's
Instructor of the Premier Health Parkinson’s Wellness Program at Miami Valley Hospital North
There is no charge to attend, but registration is required. This program is open to people with Parkinson's, their family, friends, and the community.
Parkinson’s Champions athletes raise funds and awareness for the Parkinson’s Foundation while competing in some of the world’s most popular races. Every step we take brings us closer to a future without Parkinson’s disease, because Parkinson’s isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon.
NeuroBalance™ is Movement Revolution’s comprehensive wellness program designed for individuals at every stage of Parkinson’s Disease. Each session integrates mobility, flexibility, strength, cardiovascular conditioning, and balance training into a single, well-rounded workout.
This whole-body approach supports improved movement quality, better posture, reduced stiffness, and enhanced cardiovascular health — all while promoting neuroplasticity and functional independence. Whether you’re newly diagnosed or managing more advanced symptoms, NeuroBalance™ provides the structure, variety, and expert coaching to keep you moving strong, living well, and staying ahead of Parkinson’s.
Instructor
Eric Johnson,CSCS, CIFT, NES
Founder and CEO, Movement Revolution
Movement Revolution Team
There is no charge to attend, but registration is required. This program is open to people with Parkinson's, their family, friends, and the community.
Parkinson’s Champions athletes raise funds and awareness for the Parkinson’s Foundation while competing in some of the world’s most popular races. Every step we take brings us closer to a future without Parkinson’s disease, because Parkinson’s isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon.
More than 110,000 U.S. veterans living with Parkinson’s disease (PD) receive care through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), which offers access to specialized treatment, financial benefits, and dedicated support services. In this webinar, we’ll explore the wide range of resources available to veterans with PD through the VA system, including Parkinson’s Disease Research, Education and Clinical Centers (PADRECCs), affiliated sites, and Veteran Service Organizations (VSOs). Participants will also learn how the Parkinson’s Foundation partners with the VA to provide additional education, tools, and support for veterans and their families.
Speakers
Gretchen Glenn, LCSW
Associate Director of Education
Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center
Philadelphia Parkinson's Disease Research, Education, and Clinical Center
Chair of the National VA Parkinson’s Disease Consortium Education Subcommittee
Helen R. Komninos (McHugh)
NSO Assistant Supervisor
DAV National Service Officer
There is no charge to attend, but registration is required. This program is open to people with Parkinson's, their family, friends, and the community.
The Parkinson's Foundation is proud to partner with U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to improve the health, well-being and quality of life for veterans with PD.
Parkinson’s Champions athletes raise funds and awareness for the Parkinson’s Foundation while competing in some of the world’s most popular races. Every step we take brings us closer to a future without Parkinson’s disease, because Parkinson’s isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon.
Understanding the role of genetics in Parkinson’s is helping researchers develop new treatments and move closer to a cure. This webinar will review the basics of genetics and Parkinson’s disease (PD) and explore how genetic changes may influence PD risk and how symptoms progress. Learn more about the Parkinson’s Foundation initiative, PD GENEration: Mapping the Future of Parkinson’s Disease, and why participation is helping to improve our understanding of PD and contribute to better care for individuals.
Speakers
Maggie Caulfield, PhD
Director of Research Programs, Parkinson’s Foundation
Allison Dilliott, PhD
Genomics Lead, Clinical Research, Parkinson's Foundation
There is no charge to attend, but registration is required. This program is open to people with Parkinson's, their family, friends, and the community.
Parkinson’s Champions athletes raise funds and awareness for the Parkinson’s Foundation while competing in some of the world’s most popular races. Every step we take brings us closer to a future without Parkinson’s disease, because Parkinson’s isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon.
Exercise and staying active are essential not only for physical health but also for mental and emotional well-being, especially as a veteran living with Parkinson’s disease. This program will address how staying active can positively impact physical symptoms, mood, and overall health. Participants will learn about the benefits of exercise, discover strategies to stay active beyond traditional workouts, and explore meaningful activities that bring joy and purpose.
Hillari Olson, DPT, RYT 200
LSVT BIG®, PWR! Moves® Certified Clinician
Program Coordinator / Physical Therapist
Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Program
Minneapolis VA Health Care System
Emily Hall, LCSW
Southeast PADRECC Senior Social Worker
Central Virginia VA Healthcare System
Konner Kielman, OTD, OTR/L
LSVT BIG® Certified Clinician
Occupational Therapist
Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Program
Minneapolis VA Health Care System
