LSU Health Shreveport’s Center for Brain Health will host a free Community Forum on Parkinson’s Disease on Saturday, Feb. 21, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Center for Medical Education Building, located at 1634 Jennings Street in Shreveport. The event is open to the public and designed to educate and uplift individuals living with Parkinson’s disease, caregivers, family members, healthcare providers and anyone seeking to better understand the condition.
Parkinson’s disease affects an estimated 2% of people over the age of 65 in Northwest Louisiana, a prevalence that experts say underscores the need for education, early detection and access to specialized care.
“Part of the challenge with Parkinson’s disease is that people don’t always realize they have it,” said Elizabeth Disbrow, PhD, Professor of Neurology and Director of the Center for Brain Health at LSUHS. “Someone may notice a tremor and think it’s just part of aging, but there’s actually a huge amount we can do to improve quality of life if people seek care early.”
The day-long forum will feature presentations from neurologists, researchers and national experts, including representatives from the Michael J. Fox Foundation, who will share updates from international Parkinson’s research studies. Topics will include disease prevention, environmental risk factors, advances in treatment caregiving support, new local resources and opportunities for community members to participate in local clinical research.
“We’re learning so much more about the environmental factors that impact Parkinson’s disease, and that’s very exciting,” said Disbrow. “We’re also excited to share results from large-scale genetic studies that many people in our community have already contributed to. The findings so far are incredibly interesting and give us real hope for more personalized treatments in the future.”
In addition to medical advances, the forum will address the often-overlooked realities of Parkinson’s caregiving, supported by a keynote address from Terri Pease, PhD, author of the book “Love, Dignity and Parkinson’s: from Care Partner to Caregiver.”
“Parkinson’s caregiving is unique and doesn’t get the attention it deserves,” Disbrow said. “Dr. Pease is an author and former caregiver who brings a powerful, personal perspective on what support really looks like for families living with this disease.”
The Community Forum on Parkinson’s Disease is free to attend, and questions for the presenters are encouraged. There are options to attend both in-person and virtually. Lunch is included for those who attend in-person and register in advance.
Learn more, and pre-register online at https://www.lsuhs.edu/PDforum