When Donna Smerlas’ father was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, she wondered if there were any support groups geared towards children of people with Parkinson’s. All of the support groups she had read about were geared towards spouses of people with Parkinson’s, not their adult children.
A few years later, when Donna was reading her local newspaper, she stumbled upon a notice for the JF&CS Education and Support Group for Adult Children of People with Parkinson’s disease. Soon after, she joined the group – the only one of its kind in Massachusetts.
Nancy Mazonson, Director of JF&CS Parkinson’s Family Support, explains:
We meet adult children who see their parents – both the person with Parkinson’s and the caregiver-spouse – struggling but unwilling to ask for or accept help. The children want to learn more about the symptoms and understand the challenges posed by the disease. They need strategies for intervening in ways that will be effective in helping their parents plan for the future.
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