Our regular support group meetings are the first Wednesday of each month, 10:30 – 12:30. We are grateful to now be back at the Fort Collins Senior Center! And for now, we are streaming the presentation portion of these monthly meetings on Zoom – details are in our newsletter.
Events in March–May 2025
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March Support Meeting: Communication and Swallowing in Parkinson’s Disease March Support Meeting: Communication and Swallowing in Parkinson’s Disease
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March 5, 2025
Prairie Sage Rooms 2&3
Michelle Underhill, MA, CCC-SLP
Northern Colorado Therapy ServicesIndividuals living with Parkinson’s Disease often have questions and concerns about symptoms that are associated with PD. This interactive presentation will provide an overview of adult “Speech Therapy” for Parkinson’s, PD-related communication and swallowing issues, and practical “Action Steps” to address those concerns.
About Michelle Underhill:
Michelle Underhill is a Speech-Language Pathologist specializing in the evaluation and treatment of adults living with Parkinson’s Disease. Michelle and her husband, Jason, founded a small multidisciplinary private practice specializing in Parkinson’s in Fort Collins in 2015. She served for five years as the Director of the Parkinson’s Support Group in Larimer County and is a Contributing Author for multiple editions of the Davis Phinney Foundation Every Victory Counts Manuals.
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April Support Meeting: Speech Language Pathology April Support Meeting: Speech Language Pathology
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April 2, 2025
Prairie Sage Rooms 2&3
Cognition for Communication in Parkinson's: The Role of Speech Language Pathology
Individuals living with Parkinson disease may experience cognitive changes to attention, memory, and language. Speech language pathologists are equipped to provide assessment and treatment for these changes when they impact communication. This talk will review potential cognitive changes that may impact communication, strategies to support satisfying communication, and pathways for comprehensive cognitive assessment. Following this talk, attendees will be able to identify potential topics to discuss with their own healthcare providers.
About Zoe Kriegel
Zoe Kriegel is an assistant professor in the Division of Communication Disorders at the University of Wyoming. Her research centers on understanding the impacts of Parkinson disease on communication to inform more accurate diagnosis and individualized treatments for communication problems. As a certified speech language pathologist, Dr. Kriegel has worked clinically with individuals across the lifespan in both inpatient and outpatient settings.
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May Support Meeting: Insomnia - Sleep and Parkinson's - Dr. Ryan Barmore May Support Meeting: Insomnia - Sleep and Parkinson's - Dr. Ryan Barmore
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May 7, 2025
Prairie Sage Rooms 2&3
The Parkinson's Support Group in Larimer County is honored to have Dr. Barmore speak to us on Insomnia - Sleep and Parkinson's - REM, restless leg syndrome, too much sleepiness. We thank him for his expertise and time to be with us May 7, 10:30am, Fort Collins Senior Center.
About Dr. Ryan Barmore
Dr. Barmore's specialty is neurology. He earned his medical degree from the University of Colorado, Aurora, in 2013, fulfilled his neurology residency at the Medical University of South Carolina in 2017 and completed his fellowship in 2019 from the University of Florida College of Medicine. In 2017 he was certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. We are lucky to have him serving us in both Fort Collins and Loveland through Banner Health.
Dr. Barmore believes the foundation of a good patient physician relationship is communication, and he strives to first understand an individual's values and goals of care. He takes the extra time to understand, but, just as important, is taking the time to educate patients and their families about their disease, which may impact multiple areas of their lives.
Dr. Barmore specializes in neurology with special interest in movement disorders including Parkinson's disease, tremor, dystonia, Huntington disease, gait disorders as well as the use of advanced therapies including deep brain stimulation.
HARDY Parkinson’s Support Group
Targeted for Highly Active, Recently Diagnosed or Young-Onset People with Parkinson’s. This group meets at 6:00pm in the Community Room at the Council Tree Library, 2733 Council Tree Ave, Fort Collins, CO 80525
Get the latest info at: https://hardyparkinsons.wordpress.com
HARDY Parkinson’s group meets every 4-6 weeks. Watch your inbox for meeting dates. For further information, email: paul.french.parkinsons@gmail.com
Powerful Tools for Caregivers
Powerful Tools for Caregivers is a program that has been offered since 2008 in Larimer County and there are now hundreds of ‘graduates’. Caregivers meet for six weeks for 2 hours per week and learn how to:
- Identify and find ways to reduce stress
- Improve self-confidence in coping with caregiving demands
- Ways to communicate difficult emotions
- Find community resources
Thank you to our generous supporters!
Thad Pawlikowski
