National Parkinson Foundation Hosts Caregiver Summit

MIAMI, Sept. 12, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Parkinson Foundation (NPF), a division of the Parkinson's Foundation, will be hosting the first-ever Caregiver Summit, geared specifically toward caregivers of people living with Parkinson's disease (PD). The daylong event on September 19, 2016 in Portland, Oregon, will bring together more than a hundred caregivers from all over the country and the world.

"The Caregiver Summit is a much-needed event for caregivers, who so often focus more on the person with PD than on themselves," said Vaughn Edelson, NPF Director of Education. "This event is one step of many NPF is taking to better understand and address the needs of today's PD caregivers, while informing new programs and approaches to support tomorrow's."

The agenda focuses on the dual role of all caregivers – caring for the person with PD and caring for yourself, the caregiver – and includes the following topics: maintaining dignity and identity; coping strategies for living in the moment; and tools for family caregivers. One of the sessions will feature a caregiver panel and there will also be opportunities for breakout sessions in the afternoon. Each attendee will receive a complimentary copy of the NPF Caring and Coping workbook, to help caregivers prepare for every step of the PD journey.

"I could have never imagined the impact that the Caregiver Summit would have until I started reading caregiver stories from all over the globe," said Julie Beck, Caregiver Summit Steering Committee member. "The network of caregivers sharing ideas online spoke to the urgent and pressing need for this type of event. We are all bonded together by being caregivers of someone with PD. This event will offer support not only the day of the event, but I believe it will have a lifelong impact on everyone who attends." 

ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Inc., is the proud sponsor of the NPF Caregiver Summit, which will offer encouragement, education and access to much-needed resources to those caring for people with PD. ACADIA is focused on the development and commercialization of innovative medicines that address unmet medical needs in central nervous system disorders.

The event will be held on Monday, September 19^th – the day before the World Parkinson Congress begins – at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Portland, OR, from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. There will be a Parkinson's Activity Room open for people with PD to socialize while their care partners attend the Caregiver Summit. Learn more about the event or register for the free webcast at www.parkinson.org/summit. Please call the NPF Helpline with any questions about the Caregiver Summit, 1-800-4PD-INFO (473-4636).

About the National Parkinson Foundation, a division of the Parkinson's Foundation
The Parkinson's Foundation is working toward a world without Parkinson's disease. Formed by the merger of National Parkinson Foundation (NPF) and the Parkinson's Disease Foundation (PDF) in August 2016, the mission of the Parkinson's Foundation is to invest in promising scientific research that will end Parkinson's disease and improve the lives of people with Parkinson's, and their families, through improved treatments, support and the best care. For more information, visit www.parkinson.org or www.pdf.org, or call (800) 4PD-INFO (473-4636) or (800) 457-6676.

About Parkinson's Disease (PD)
Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurological disorder that affects nearly one million people in the US and over 10 million worldwide. Parkinson's is the second most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer's and is the 14th leading cause of death in the US. It is associated with a loss of motor control (e.g., shaking or tremor at rest and lack of facial expression) as well as non-motor symptoms (e.g., depression and anxiety). Although promising research is being conducted, there is currently no cure for Parkinson's disease.

NPF Media Contact:
Leilani Pearl
305-537-9907
[email protected]

SOURCE National Parkinson Foundation

Related Links

http://www.parkinson.org