Parkinson’s Piedmont Support Group of Northern Virginia
Notes of Meeting of March 18, 2019
Chestnut Forks Tennis Club
The meeting began at 12:15 pm. After a round of introductions, Kendal Blaser, the meeting facilitator, acknowledged the
group’s one year anniversary and how it’s made great strides in that short period of time. She expressed appreciation to
Chestnut Forks for their generosity in providing a clean, bright and friendly place to meet, with the added benefit of a large,
private parking lot and ramp access into the Club. She also addressed concerns that have been raised regarding the venue by
proposing to: have volunteers ready to set-up by noon – 12:10 so that meeting can start promptly at 12:15; limit guest
speakers to 30 minutes to allow enough time for questions afterwards and group-focussed discussions; offer help using the
stairs to anyone who needs to use the bathroom; purchase 10 more chairs for PPSG use, to be kept on the premises;
remember that hot and cold food is sold in the lobby of the gym.
At 12:30 pm, Joy Meadows introduced guest speaker Katherine Charapich, Esq. of the Estate Law Center in Culpeper. Ms.
Charapich gave a succinct presentation of how to have finances in place for your care while alive and how to ensure your
assets are distributed the way you intend after you have died. She went over key documents to consider, adding a synopsis
of each one and answering questions as they arose. They are: revocable trust; will; power of attorney; advance medical
directive; transfer of assets,; succession planning; and living will. She distributed a folder containing a Senior Citizen
Handbook filled with information on the laws and programs affecting seniors in VA, as well as a series of articles she’s
written on these topics. A few pieces of advice amongst the many she gave are that revocable trusts are harder to
contest/impeach than are wills; a will is a “must have” safety net in general and for tangible property; and a power of
attorney, effective the day of signing until death, is helpful when quality of life becomes an issue and when help is need to
manage finances. Advanced Medical Directive has many benefits as well in that it allows you to decide ahead of time how
to have your dire and terminal medical conditions treated when they arise.
After the presentation, the meeting continued with a free flow of questions, answers, advice.
● A new member was curious if anyone had advice on proper nutrition for Parkinson’s patients. The idea of having a
nutritionist as a speaker came up again as well as mention of reliable websites on the topic, i.e. Michaeljfox.org;
Parkinsons.org,
parkinsonfoundation.org (aka PFNCA).
● PNFCA symposium was mentioned as taking place March 23rd and was highly encouraged by those who’d been
before.
● Do we want a speaker to come address the community or our group on the topic of prescriptions and Parkinson’s?
● Entacapone ER was mentioned as the new drug to treat “wearing off” symptoms (Entacapone is an inhibitor of
catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT). It is used in combination with levodopa and carbidopa (Sinemet) to
treat the end-of-dose ‘wearing-off’ symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.)
● Look into bringing to Warrenton Dance for Parkinsons, a nationwide and worldwide program started by the Mark
Morris Dance Group to encourage Parkinson’s people to move and dance. Currently there are two “local” programs,
one in Winchester at Shenandoah Arts Conservatory, Wednesdays 11:00-noon, and one in Arlington. Both free of
charge.
● Our website is up and running and needs material. Work on building this up. In addition, the group has a closed
group Facebook page called Parkinson’s Piedmont Support Group of Northern VA managed by Cherie Poll at
cherie6447@aol.com . Relevant info can be posted here as well. You have to ask permission to join by opening its
page on Facebook.
● Have to spread the word about our group through fliers, business cards, word of mouth, articles.
The meeting ended at 2:15 pm.