Each year about 60,000 Americans are diagnosed with Parkinson’s. In fact, it’s the second most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer’s.
There are two important things to remember about Parkinson’s, says Jo Rosen, Founder and President of Parkinson’s Resource Organization (PRO). The first: that while Parkinson’s is a progressive disease, not every case manifests the same way. The second: you don’t have to go through this alone.
Three decades ago, Jo Rosen found herself in “the club nobody wants to join” when both her mother and her fiancé developed Parkinson’s within a few years of each other. Rosen, a born problem solver, made a deal with God – “If God were to teach me everything there is to know about Parkinson’s I would share what I discovered with the world.”
Today, fifteen years after the death of her beloved husband, Alan Rosen, Jo holds true to her side of the bargain through Parkinson’s Resource Organization, dedicated to ensure no one is isolated because of Parkinson’s.
Through virtual support groups for caregivers and people with Parkinson’s, as well as open forums featuring researchers, physical therapists, elder law attorneys and more, PRO distributes information quickly and builds a community network that teaches and learns from itself. Today, the PRO team holds four to six support groups each week and runs a free, virtual resource directory, The Wellness Village.
The Wellness Village, dedicated to pursuing the ultimate quality of life for people with Parkinson’s and their families, presents a carefully selected directory of professional care and service providers. Visitors can find everything from naturopathic medicine to speech therapy to end-of-life doulas, and more.
Do you know someone living with Parkinson’s in your community? Tell them about the incredible wealth of resources available to them, their caregivers and their loved ones at Parkinson’s Resource Organization. Give us a call at (toll free) 877-775-4111 or visit
www.parkinsonsresource.org to learn more.
