Support Groups
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In 1961, the American Parkinson Disease Association, Inc. was started in New York City to form a local Support Group, at a time when none was available. Since then, the APDA has placed a vast amount of its emphasis into grassroots organizing of support Groups, Chapters, and Information and Referral Centers. Since the initiation of Operations Outreach in 1983, the number of Chapters, their efficiency, and the funds they have raised has grown dramatically. It is this grassroots structure that separates APDA from other organizations serving people with Parkinson's disease.
These are the faces of some of our groups:
Marshalltown
Newton
Newton Iowa. History of Jasper County Parkinson's Disease Support Group. It all began with friends visiting at a Kiwanis guest luncheon in Newton, Iowa in the mid 1900's. Harold and Florence Crow and John and Bonnie McConeghey discovered that both Florence and John had recently been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. They found very little information on the subject and questioned available research. Newton Library had only one book about Parkinson's disease. Florence told John that she would be willing to help develop a support group.
After another evening together a plan of action was formed. They would need to develop a list of people with the disease, secure a location to meet with a program for the first meeting. John developed a brochure, distributed it to pharmacies in the county, and asked that one be included with each prescription. Physicians were asked to give the brochures to appropriate people. An article was published in the Newton Daily News and announcements were aired on the radio.
Twenty people attended the first meeting at the Newton Library classroom. Decisions were made; meet monthly January-October, John was chair, Florence program facilitator and Jean Bridenstine as secretary. The group officially became the Jasper County Parkinson's Disease Support Group.
John attended workshops in Des Moines, Milwaukee, and Minneapolis to get ideas. Speakers include psychologists, physical therapists, speech therapist, physicians and nutritionist.
In 2007 John and Florence stepped down from their assigned roles but still attend and Eloise Prater, retired RN, has accepted the role of facilitator of the group. The group still continues to meet monthly adding a holiday luncheon in early December.