Social Support and Health

A brief article from PscyhCentral about social supports and health.  http://psychcentral.com/news/2010/10/25/social-support-friends-can-help-our-health/20106.html
jam

HD genetics testing assessment form

Hi everyone,

Does anyone have a form or format they utilize when interviewing patients coming to clinic for genetics testing for HD?  If you do and you can share it, I would love to see it.  Thanks.

Jason

World Parkinson Congress

I heard the World Parkinson Congress in Glasgow was a great success.  How many Social Workers attended?  If you did attend let us know how it was and how Social Work was represented.  And.....I'm jealous. :-)
jam

Mental Aging

Kind of an interesting article on mental aging from the Mental Health Social Worker blog.
http://mhsw.org/mental-health/new-study-reconciles-conflicting-data-on-mental-aging/
jam

End of Life Care

A colleague of mine recently forwarded me a great article in The New Yorker, titled "Letting Go:  What should medicine do when it can't save your life."

It is definitely not a light article but it is well written and covers great topics that Social Workers are often called upon to help address; advanced directives, palliative and hospice care, and working with families to help them decide what they want in terms of medical care that allows for what is most important to them as they go through the end of life.

A link to the article:  http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/08/02/100802fa_fact_gawande

jam

Self help workbooks

Just wanting to share a website that has a number of self help workbooks for people coping with health conditions and related depression, stress and anxiety. The site is www.comh.ca and has many download-able worksheets.

Huntington's disease Team Hope Walk

It's that time of year again to dust off your walking shoes and get out to support the HDSA's Team Hope Walks in states across America.  You can set up your very own fund raising page to help raise money for the HDSA.  It's quick and easy to set up.  To sign up for a walk or to create your very own fundraising page visit the HDSA website and click on the 'Join Team Hope' logo.

http://www.hdsa.org/

jam

Vietnam Veterans and Parkinson's disease

Everyone's probably already see this but there has been some good news coming out of the VA this week regarding Vietnam veterans and service connection.  See the link below for some details.

http://www.stripes.com/news/us/with-new-ao-rule-out-va-readies-spigot-of-payments-1.116955

jam

Annual Parkinson's disease Symposium

The Parkinson Center of Oregon is putting on our 27th annual symposium!  We are excited to have a great line-up of speakers:

Our featured speakers are Dr. Ergun Uc from the University of Iowa,

Dr. Ergun Uc

Dr. Martinedale from Oregon Health & Science University hospital,

Dr. Robert Martindale

and Dr. Charlie Meshul, PhD from Oregon Health & Science Univeristy hospital.

Dr. Charlie Meshul, PhD

For more information follow the link:

http://www.ohsu.edu/xd/research/centers-institutes/neurology/parkinson-center/news/options-opportunities.cfm

jam

New book for caregivers

I recently heard of a new book for working with caregivers by Linda Edgar called " Caregiving: Good Coping in good times and bad". I have not yet read it but it was recommended by a colleague who works with cancer patients.