New Kid on the Block
Published in Centralian Advocate Newspaper
29 January 2019
By Annie Ernst, DAS Advocate
There’s a new kid on the block to support people in Alice Springs with movement disorders – the Parkinson’s Disease Support Group. This group is for anyone with Parkinson’s Disease, and people who care for someone with, or have an interest in Parkinson’s.
The Parkinson’s Support Group’s first meeting is on Thursday 31 January, from 6pm – 8pm in the Boardroom at the Gillen Club on Milner Road. The theme of this meeting will be ‘sharing’, so bring along an idea, strategy or item that has helped you (or someone you know) with some aspect of Parkinson’s. If you can’t think of something that you would like to share, you can still come along to listen and meet others.
If transport is an issue, or there are other barriers to you attending the meeting, but you would like to come, please contact the Disability Advocacy Service on 8953 1422. And please get in touch if you would like more information about any aspect of the group or its meetings.
The February meeting will be held on Thursday 28 February, from 6pm – 8pm at the Gillen Club, and will have a pharmacist as a guest speaker to address concerns and questions about managing medications. If you would like the pharmacist to answer a question or address an issue, please send your enquiries through to Annie Ernst, Disability Advocate at [email protected] at any time up until 28 February, and these will be passed on to the pharmacist before the meeting. If you come along to the meeting you will also be able to ask questions directly.
Planning for the group’s meetings and activities in the next six months is currently underway and it’s shaping up to be an exciting year! The Disability Advocacy Service encourages anyone who would like to be involved in planning meetings and activities for the second half of the year (even a single meeting) to get in touch.
Upcoming activities for 2019 include a speech therapist who will talk about communication (and do some ‘Yell Well’ with the group) in March, and there will be special activities and promotions for Parkinson’s Disease Awareness month in April. There are also plans to have occupational therapists address the group, as well as a visit by specialists from Parkinson’s SA (which is now supporting the NT with a name change reflecting this to occur in the future). Parkinson’s SA will video their seminars throughout the year (16 seminars in total) and make these available for the group.
The Parkinson’s Disease Support Group is a valuable opportunity for you to find and share peer support with others, and a great chance to socialise and connect with the Parkinson’s community!
Tune in to local Alice Springs ABC radio (783AM) on Tuesday 29 January, soon after 10am, to hear an interview about the Parkinson’s Support Group, and don’t forget to contact the Disability Advocacy Service on 8953 1422 for more information. Hope to see you soon!