08/2006 : Blue Books

Recently, several readers have contacted our office to inquire about the booklet we have been using to give tips for dealing with Parkinson’s disease. The booklet is one in a series of 5 "Blue Books" (named for their blue covers) written and compiled by the editor of this newsletter, Michael Beetner. We traditionally send the series to newly diagnosed patients to assist them, and their family and friends, in gaining an understanding in helping to deal with Parkinson’s disease, and some of the readers that have had PD for a number of years have commented that a review of these booklets has also been helpful.

The titles for each of the books are:

· A Guide to Parkinson’s Disease for the Family and Friends of the Patient

· How to be a Parkinson’s Disease Patient

· 101 Tips for Dealing with Parkinson’s Disease

· The Symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease

· A Glossary of Terms or "Why Can’t Doctors Speak English?"

The booklets had been printed in bulk, with the cost for the printing provided by the Ohio Parkinson Foundation (OPF). The OPF is a consortium of four quadrants covering the state of Ohio: Northeast, Northwest, Southwest, and Central and Southeast. The National Parkinson Foundation Central & Southeast Ohio oversees 32 counties in the Central and Southeast quadrant. The goal of the OPF is to work with the quadrants to ensure Ohio has information available for people with PD. They are also looking at revising the booklets to print more copies.

Each of these titles are currently available in limited quantities here at the National Parkinson Foundation Central & Southeast Ohio. If you are interested in receiving one or all of the titles, please contact our office. These resources have been a valuable tool for many people with PD and their caregivers.

If any of you have found other books, newsletters, videos, or websites that have helped you, please let us know, and we can share that information with everyone as well.

As always, please feel free to contact the National Parkinson Foundation Central & Southeast Ohio with any questions, comments, or suggestions you may have.