I didn't know what dysphagia was either until Darla Novosel, speech therapist at Jewish Hospital in Shelbyville, spoke to the Shelbyville support group last month. One in 17 people will develop some form of dysphagia--or swallowing difficulty--in their lifetime. Many PD patients experience some form of swallowing problems, most often in later stages of PD, but sometimes in early stages as well. If you are experiencing food sticking in your throat when swallowing, choking during eating or drinking, or a hesitation in your swallowing reflex, you may want to talk to your doctor about a referral to a speech therapist for evaluation.

There are therapies that can help with dysphagia. One therapy, VitalStim, is a non-invasive, external electrical stimulation therapy approved by the FDA in 2002. The therapy uses electrodes applied to the muscles of the throat to promote proper swallowing.

It never hurts to ask your doctor questions about ANY symptoms you are experiencing. The doctor can't treat all of your symptoms if s/he doesn't know about them, so be sure to keep a chart of symptoms and share that chart with your doctor! Katherine Autin

Speaking of dysphagia, some people report that using a specially-designed dysphagia cup, such as this one, helps greatly with swallowing liquids.

Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Conditions, a six week peer led workshop, will be held Tuesdays from 2-4:30pm beginning October 13th at the New Albany YMCA. For more information, call Janet Manzo at LifeSpan Resources (812-948-6961) or email jmanzo@ls4.org.

If you need assistance with home heating costs, you can pre-register for help from the CAP Heating Assistance program starting today. Additional information may be found online, or by calling (502-574-1157 or 502-574-1270).

Jewish Family & Career Services (JFCS) and Klein Older Adult Program are offering an Alzheimer's Education Workshop on four consecutive Mondays starting October 19th at 7p.m. For more information, call Joan at 502-452-6341, ext. 321. The program will also be presented one Saturday (November 7th, 10a-2p, with lunch provided). For reservations, call Brenda at 502-776-6369, ext. 309.

JFCS is also offering a free workshop on movement disorders, including Parkinson's Disease, at 1pm on October 21st in the Louis Lee Roth Family Center (2821 Klempner Way). The featured speaker will be Dr. Walter Olson, Jr. Dr. Olson will be talking about variations of movement disorders and medicines used to treat these diseases. Reservations are not required. Please call Marilyn Bornstein at 502-452-6341, ext 278, for more information. Materials about PD will be available at the workshop. The location is wheelchair-accessible.