3 Ways to Stay Connected to Your Parkinson’s Community During Lockdown

Stay Connected to Parkinson's - Davis Phinney Foundation

Right now, much of the country is being asked to stay home. We’re being asked to reimagine our daily lives and find substitutions for the activities we used to love doing, such as meeting up with friends for coffee, attending daily exercise classes, or working side-by-side each day toward a common goal. We get it. It makes sense. And we know that in the end, these efforts will make a difference. But we’re also beginning to feel all of the downstream effects these stay-at-home orders are causing.

The economy is a big one, of course, but for many, feelings of disconnection and social isolation may be the most difficult to manage. That’s why we want to offer three ways you can stay connected to your Parkinson’s community during the lockdown.

#1 – Catch up on our webinars

If you’re running out of closets to clean and yard work to do, and you’ve already ridden your bike, went for a run, danced for PD, or practiced yoga, learning how to live well with Parkinson’s is a great way to spend your time. Here are a few webinars that might be especially helpful right now:

How to Build Resilience While Living with Parkinson’s
Helplessness and Hope in Parkinson’s
Parkinson’s Nutrition for Living Well

Also, be sure to register for our upcoming webinar on social connection and Parkinson’s with Dr. Al Condeluci on April 15th. He’ll talk about the value of social capital and how to build it in meaningful ways even in times like this.

And, if you’ve been wondering if Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) is the right choice for you, be sure to attend our special Virtual DBS Forum on Wednesday, April 22nd.

#2 – Read our blog posts and listen to our podcasts

We have a huge library of podcasts and posts on topics that will inspire you to live well today and far into the future. Here are a few:

Emotional and Psychological Care in Parkinson’s
How to Exercise and Live Better with Parkinson’s
How to Live Well with Parkinson’s Even When You’re Locked Down
How to Practice Social Distancing without Losing Your Connections
Moments of Victory® – Patti Burnett Moves to Live Well with Parkinson’s
Moments of Victory® – Kat Hill Learns How to Paint, Box, and Thrive with Parkinson’s
Moments of Victory® – Carol Clupny Doesn’t Let Parkinson’s Slow Her Down
Art and Parkinson’s: Sketchbook 101 with Lorraine Wilson

#3 – Become a recurring donor

We recently had the opportunity to chat with a few people who donate to the Foundation on a monthly basis. When we asked them why they chose to make that commitment, what they said surprised us. They each said that getting a note every month thanking them for their contribution makes them feel more connected to the Parkinson’s community. They noted that it’s often the case that when they make a single donation to an organization at the end of the year, they may only think about them once. However, because they make monthly donations to us, they think about us and get those feel-good-feelings about supporting our work twelve times a year.

Here are a few more reasons they choose to make a monthly donation to the Foundation:

  • “It’s a way to honor the work you do for a cause I care about.”
  • “If I wait until the end of the year, I may “think” I don’t have the cash to do it, or I may just forget.”
  • “Splitting a donation up over 12 months makes it easier to give a larger amount than I might at the end of the year.”
  • “Because I give each month, I receive regular updates on what you’re doing. When I see how much that is, I’m proud to be a part of supporting it. I never doubt that my money is going directly to help people with Parkinson’s live well.”

Everything we offer from live and virtual events to webinars, podcasts, the Every Victory Counts® manual, blog posts, special events, and community programs are all made possible because of those who make a choice to support us. We don’t have an endowment or a wealthy benefactor who helps us keep the lights on. One hundred percent of our funding comes from contributions from individuals, corporations, and foundations that generously support our vital work. If you’d like to be part of that group, consider setting up a recurring donation today.

“The Every Victory Counts manual is the most honest, insightful, inspirational and genuinely helpful compilation of information I’ve seen about Parkinson’s. Every doctor who tells a patient they have Parkinson’s should make sure that person leaves their office with an Every Victory Counts manual. It’s a support group in a book.” – Terry H

Want to see how many people with Parkinson’s we helped last year because of the generous donations we received? Read our 2019 Annual Report. Then, become a recurring donor today.

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