Parkinson’s Foundation’s ‘Care Partner Summit’ Online Only This May 16

With a focus on the unpredictable path often facing caregivers, the Parkinson’s Foundation is again hosting a free-of-charge, English-Spanish bilingual summit for those helping Parkinson’s patients with their daily needs.

But the Care Partner Summit (Cumbre Para Cuidadores) on Saturday, May 16, will be exclusively online — due the coronavirus, COVID-19, “viewing parties” planned nationwide for that day are postponed for one year.

The live Miami program and its assorted coast-to-coast viewing parties are now set for May 15, 2021.

Sponsored by Acadia Pharmaceuticals, the May summit will feature a series of expert-led panels, welcoming questions submitted by anyone caring for someone living with Parkinson’s, including spouses, partners, children, or friends. Panel topics will focus on cognitive changes, mental health, self-care, and practical planning.

Sessions will take place that day from noon to 3:30 EST (11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. CST, 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. MST, and 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. PST).

With its theme “Planning for the Unpredictable Path of Parkinson’s Caregiving,” this summit’s goal is to provide encouragement, education, and resources to help caregivers better manage those unexpected bumps. Parkinson’s is a complex condition, and its symptoms and their progression can be different for each patient. This affects caregiving.

“The Parkinson’s Foundation Care Partner Summit helps to prepare care partners with tools and resources to make life better for themselves and their loved one with PD,” John L. Lehr, president and CEO of the Parkinson’s Foundation, said in a press release. “This event also allows us to address the needs and priorities of our care partner community, and support them throughout every stage of their PD journey.”

Go here to register in English or Spanish. A video of the Foundation’s first bilingual summit, which focused on self-care and caregiving, is available here.

“Acadia is proud to be the presenting sponsor of this important initiative to support Parkinson’s disease caregivers and the development of educational tools and resources for the patient community,” said Ponni Subbiah, MD, Acadia senior vice president, global medical affairs and chief medical officer.

Parkinson’s disease affects an estimated one million U.S. residents — 60,000 new cases diagnosed annually— and 10 million individuals globally.

Acadia is focused on developing and commercializing treatments addressing unmet medical needs in diseases of the central nervous system, including Parkinson’s.