Communication & Swallow Workshop, White Rock

This full-day interactive and participatory workshop, led by Registered Speech Language Pathologist, Sherri Zelazny, will focus on the communication and swallowing challenges faced by people with Parkinson's. It is open to those already experiencing communication and swallowing challenges, as well as those who wish to be proactive in their treatment.

Our communication and swallow workshops utilize methods developed as part of the Lee Silverman Voice Treatment^® (LSVT^®) which have been clinically proven to enhance communication for individuals with Parkinson's and other neurological conditions.

If you have Parkinson's but are not currently experiencing communication or swallowing difficulties, participating in the workshop may help reduce stress, frustration and complications related to communication down the road.

If you already experience issues with communication and swallowing, this workshop will provide you with effective evidence-based tools to address common problems of disordered articulation, diminished facial expression and impaired swallowing.

If you are a healthcare professional looking to learn more about communication and swallowing challenges for people with Parkinson's and methods to support your clients, this workshop will provide you with a general understanding.

Participants will be required to watch a pre-workshop webinar and complete a questionnaire prior to the event. The pre-workshop materials will be provided to you in an email following your registration.

A catered lunch will be provided.

Registration for this workshop closes on Wednesday, November 13.

Registration for this event is now full. If you would like to be added to the wait list, you may add your name to a list by following the button below. A staff member at Parkinson Society BC will contact you should a space become available.

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Debriefing the Caregiver Role

When a loved one is lost, it is one of life's most difficult experiences. You may find yourself struggling with many intense and frightening emotions leaving you feeling isolated or alone. Having someone to lean on in this time is important in helping you through the grieving process.

In collaboration with the Pacific Parkinson's Research Centre, please join us at this workshop, with Elaine Book, Social Worker at the Pacific Parkinson's Research Centre, and Tricia Wallace, Clinical Counsellor at PSBC.

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Express Yourself: A Writing Workshop to Help You Cope and Thrive 

This 10 part writing workshop is for people with Parkinson’s and carepartners. No writing experience is necessary! Together, participants will complete simple, fun, and meaningful writing exercises, as well as take part in guided meditations and mindfulness exercises. We will tap into your inherent creativity and inner wisdom as sources of healing, strength, and community building. Come share your story and help yourself and other folks who understand what you’re going through move through challenging times.

The workshop is led by Rebecca Gifford, partner in Parkinson’s with her husband Larry. She is an experienced writer and writing coach who knows first-hand the power of the tools you will learn. She is an author, blogger, marketing writer, and writing coach with more than 20 years’ experience helping people and organizations navigate the creative process and tell their stories. Rebecca also is a homeschooling mom to her 10-year-old son and a weekly contributor to her husband’s podcast, When Life Gives You Parkinson’s.

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Ask the Expert Webinar: Hospitalization and Parkinson's

People with Parkinson’s have unique needs and considerations while in the hospital, and it is not uncommon for healthcare professionals to be unfamiliar with these needs. It is important for people with Parkinson’s to be prepared for both planned and unplanned hospital visits, and to know how to self-advocate for their care.

On November 19, Debra Mayer will join Parkinson Society BC for the first time to discuss hospitalization and Parkinson’s, share tips for how to best self-advocate in the hospital setting, and how you can make the most out of your Aware in Care kit. Debra is a member of the Aware in Care advisory committee at the Parkinson’s Foundation, and is a registered nurse specializing in critical care and emergency nursing. Her areas of practice include chronic and acute care nursing, clinical experiences, and simulation. She also teaches nursing full-time.

We welcome all individuals with Parkinson’s to this webinar as well as their spouses and/or carepartners/caregivers, as they may benefit from learning more about the disease to assist in supporting their loved one.

Register today to reserve a spot for yourself, your household or group! If you will be watching the webinar on the same computer or screen as another person or group, only one registration is required.

Registration for this event will close on Thursday, November 14.

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Young Onset Parkinson's Disease Webinar Series: Coping as a Carepartner

Young Onset Parkinson’s Disease (YOPD) is generally defined as a diagnosis of Parkinson’s before the age of 60. Because of the age of diagnosis, the needs of those with YOPD will differ from those with later-onset Parkinson’s. Elaine Book, social worker at Pacific Parkinson’s Research Centre, joins Parkinson Society BC for this webinar series aimed at addressing some of the specific issues faced by people affected by YOPD.

This session will be co-facilitated by a carepartner of a YOPD individual and will cover some of the feelings and challenges that a carepartner of someone with YOPD may experience. Methods for coping will also be discussed.

We encourage participants to bring their questions to each session as there will be time set aside for Q&A and discussion. 

Registration for this Webinar is now closed.

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Young Onset Parkinson's Disease Webinar Series: Parenting

Young Onset Parkinson’s Disease (YOPD) is generally defined as a diagnosis of Parkinson’s before the age of 60. Because of the age of diagnosis, the needs of those with YOPD will differ from those with later-onset Parkinson’s. Elaine Book, social worker at Pacific Parkinson’s Research Centre, joins Parkinson Society BC for this webinar series aimed at addressing some of the specific issues faced by people affected by YOPD.

One of the unique challenges of YOPD is that those diagnosed are often parents to young or adolescent children. In this session, co-facilitated by a YOPD parent, we will discuss how children may be affected by a Parkinson’s diagnosis in the family and how parents are able to support their children in this journey.

We encourage participants to bring their questions to each session as there will be time set aside for Q&A and discussion. We welcome all individuals with YOPD to this webinar series as well as their spouses and/or carepartners/caregivers, as they may benefit from learning more about the disease to assist in supporting their loved one.

Registration for this event will close on Tuesday, November 19.

Register Now