Show Notes
Occupational therapist and aging-in-place expert Carol Chiang joins us to discuss her new book, Age in Place or Find a New Space. Carol explains why meaningful interactions—not just safety—belong at the center of planning for life with Parkinson's, and how "the choices you make today become the consequences you live with tomorrow." In this podcast episode, Carol discusses the importance of early-stage steps like decluttering and fall-prevention basics, practical visual cueing for freezing, how to break home updates into manageable pieces, and honest caregiver conversations. Carol also shares how to think about modifying a home versus considering a move, and why planning early protects both independence and connection. A grounded, hopeful conversation about creating a home that supports who you are and how you want to live. Learn more about Carol and her work, and find her book at: https://www.EvolvingHomes.com Explore the OT-curated home-modification resource she mentioned: Ask Samie: https://www.asksamie.com/ Sign up for updates on webinars, events, and resources for the Parkinson's community: https://dpf.org/newsletter-signup Learn more about the Davis Phinney Foundation for Parkinsons's: https://dpf.org
GUEST BIO Carol Chiang is an Occupational Therapist and founder of Evolving Homes®, specializing in aging-in-place, age tech, and smart home solutions. With 25 years of experience, she helps individuals and families decide whether to "Age in Place" or "Find a New Space®," and supports them through the home changes required at each stage of Parkinson's. A Certified Parkinson's Wellness Recovery therapist and former Olympic-caliber athlete, Carol teaches the importance of planning ahead, using exercise as medicine, and building habits that protect long-term independence. She consults with organizations, startups, and universities worldwide, and has contributed to AARP, the Davis Phinney Foundation, the National Kitchen & Bath Association, and international aging conferences.
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Deep brain stimulation, or DBS, raises a lot of questions, including what it is, who it's for, when the best time for it is, and what living with it is actually like. This episode brings the best of six Davis Phinney Foundation conversations on DBS into one twenty-minute walk through the whole journey, from the basics to what life is like years after surgery. You'll hear from two neurosurgeons, two movement disorder specialists, and three people who have lived with DBS for years. Dr. Kara Beasley, DO, is a fellowship-trained functional and restorative neurosurgeon who has practiced in Boulder, CO since in 2012. Dr. Beasely also holds a master's degree in biomedical ethics. Dr. Chengyuan Wu, MD, is Professor of Neurological Surgery and Radiology at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, where he is Division Chief of Epilepsy and Neuromodulation Neurosurgery and directs the fellowship programin stereotactic and functional neurosurgery. Dr. Delaram Safarpour, MD, is Associate Professor of Neurology at Oregon Health & Science University and medical director of the deep brain stimulation program at the OHSU Brain Institute. Dr. Joohi Jimenez-Shahed, MD, is Medical Director of Movement Disorders Neuromodulation and Brain Circuit Therapeutics at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and former chair of the Davis Phinney Foundation's Science Advisory Board. Jill Ater was diagnosed with Parkinson's at 42, in 2005, and had DBS surgery in 2013 and 2015, one side at a time. Marty Acevedo had DBS surgery in 2016 and has been active in the Parkinson's Association of San Diego. Kevin Kwok, PharmD, is a retired biopharmaceutical executive who was diagnosed with young-onset Parkinson's in his late forties and chose DBS in 2013. He has served on the Davis Phinney Foundation's Board of Directors since 2015. For more on DBS and living well with Parkinson's, visit dpf.org.
Learn more about Parkinson's and find support: https://dpf.org
Learn more about Parkinson's and find support: https://dpf.org In part two of this conversation from our Live Well Today webinar series, Davis Phinney Foundation's Chris Krueger and Richelle Flanagan, a registered dietitian living with young onset Parkinson's, cover gut motility, including constipation, an under-recognized pelvic floor problem, and gastroparesis, address the dairy question, and explain why the Mediterranean diet has the strongest research support for people with Parkinson's. The conversation also covers sugar and insulin resistance, probiotics, alcohol, and how to eat well without guilt when things don't go to plan. Richelle Flanagan is a registered dietitian with over 20 years' experience. She was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2017, when she was 46, after noticing symptoms while 3 months pregnant with her daughter. In addition to her interest in diet and nutrition, she is passionate about the unmet needs of women with Parkinson's. She is a co-founder of the Women's Parkinson's Project and My Moves Matter, a digital health app to meet the specific needs of women living with Parkinson's. Learn more about Richelle's work at https://www.mymovesmatter.com Sign up for updates on webinars, events, and resources for the Parkinson's community: https://dpf.org/newsletter-signup
Learn more about Parkinson's and find support: https://dpf.org In part one of this two-part conversation from our Live Well Today webinar series, Davis Phinney Foundation's Chris Krueger sits down with Richelle Flanagan, a registered dietitian living with young onset Parkinson's, to discuss how protein interacts with levodopa and why meal timing affects how well your medication works, which key nutrients people with Parkinson's are most commonly deficient in, and why getting your levels checked matters. The conversation also covers iron and magnesium timing, protein redistribution, intermittent fasting, and fueling for exercise and fatigue. Richelle Flanagan is a registered dietitian with over 20 years' experience. She was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2017, when she was 46, after noticing symptoms while 3 months pregnant with her daughter. In addition to her interest in diet and nutrition, she is passionate about the unmet needs of women with Parkinson's. She is a co-founder of the Women's Parkinson's Project and My Moves Matter, a digital health app to meet the specific needs of women living with Parkinson's. Learn more about Richelle's work at https://www.mymovesmatter.com Sign up for updates on webinars, events, and resources for the Parkinson's community: https://dpf.org/newsletter-signup
Learn more about Parkinson's and find support: https://dpf.org Although a tremor is the most well-known symptom of Parkinson's, a tremor may not be the earliest symptom. Symptoms like loss of smell, constipation, acting out dreams, anxiety, and changes in handwriting can show up years before a diagnosis. Cognitive neurologist Dr. Jeffrey Maneval joins Chris Krueger to walk through the most common early signs, why Parkinson's is so often confused with conditions that mimic it, and the tests that can bring clarity, from sleep studies and DaTscans to skin biopsy and genetic testing. You don't have to wait for a formal diagnosis to start treating symptoms. Dr. Maneval discusses how early interventions, including physical therapy, Parkinson's boxing, voice therapy, and mental health support, can help you live well today, even before you have a diagnosis. Dr. Jeffrey Maneval is a board-certified neurologist at MaineHealth specializing in cognitive disorders, including dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease. As Director of Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology, he is dedicated to advancing patient care, education, and research to improve the lives of people living with neurological conditions. Sign up for updates on webinars, events, and resources for the Parkinson's community: https://dpf.org/newsletter-signup This episode is sponsored by CND Life Sciences, the developer and provider of the Syn-One skin biopsy test.