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Upcoming Events
(click orange text for more event info or flyer)
3PM to 4:30PM
Sally Griffin Center- Pacific Grove
Call 866-955-9999 to register
National MS Society's Free From Falls Workshop 6 week series begins Thurs, July 16th CHOMP Rehab Center - Monterey Early registration open now! Contact Zoe Edwards at 916-927-9190 ext. 75201 or email at zoe.edwards@nmss.org SAVE THE DATE! MSQLP's 9th annual Walk 'n Roll fundraiser will be Saturday, September 26th @ Laguna Grande Park in Seaside
MSQLP Support Groups
Joint Support Group Meeting
Friday, May 15th
11AM to 1PM
Marina Library
Support Group: Trip to Point Lobos!
Saturday, May 16th
11AM to 1PM
Point Lobos State Park
Carmel-By-The-Sea
We will meet at the Bird Island Trail parking area. Trail is wheelchair accessible, powerchair or 4-wheel scooter recommended. Everyone is welcome! Call 831-333-9091 to RSVP.
Water Aerobics Program
Mondays & Wednesdays
12-1pm @ Monterey Sports Center
This program is offered free to families living with MS or Parkinson's.
*No water aerobics on Memorial Day - Monday, May 25th*
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MSQLP's Purse Party
By Osiris Salgado - MSQLP Case Manager
Since its inception, the Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life Project (MSQLP) has held many fundraisers to keep it thriving. One of our biggest and most successful fundraisers is our annual Purse Party. This year's Purse Party, following the theme of "Breakfast at Tiffany's", took place on Sunday, May 3rd at the Valentia Piccinini's beautiful residence in Pebble Beach.
Participants got to partake in a silent purse auction, while enjoying a selection of wines, hors d'oeuvres, and a signature drink, "The Audrey". For several months prior to the event, MSQLP was privileged to have volunteer members of the community and members of our board meet as a committee each week to plan the event and collect gently used and designer purses from local residents and boutiques. All their hard work paid off and we've raised $16,000 so far!
Thank you to everyone that was involved in the planning and implementation of this successful fundraiser. And a very special thank you to Valentia Piccinini for 3 whole years of her generosity and efforts in helping this event grow!
More pictures from this fundraiser will be added to our Facebook page shortly.
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MSQLP's Equipment Closet
Equipment Reuse Program
By Grant Helm - MSQLP Executive Director/Client Services Supervisor
MSQLP's Equipment Reuse Program was developed to provide essential mobility equipment (for loan) to individuals who need a mobility device to get around while they wait for their prescribed device.
For health and safety reasons, mobility equipment is loaned to clients who have received a prescription for a mobility device from their doctor but are waiting for insurance approval and to be fitted for their personal device.
To inquire about the list of available equipment for loan, please call 831-333-9091.
Below is a list of available mobility devices and equipment for loan:
- Regular Size Manual Wheelchair
- GoGo 3-wheel Scooter w/ Batteries
- Shoprider 3-wheel Scooter w/ Batteries
- Idylis Portable AC unit
You can view pictures of the available equipment for donation by
clicking here.
We are also in need of more volunteer drivers from all three counties!
Interested in volunteering your time (and vehicle) to deliver equipment to families in need? Call our office at 831-333-9091. Mileage reimbursement included!
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Did You Know?
Local resources for low-cost counseling services in the Central Coast
By Rachel Bedford- MSQLP Intern
Because of the uncontrollable nature of depression, the person suffering from this condition should not feel ashamed for feeling depressed. People who are experiencing depression can take action and utilize therapy to help treat it. Finding a therapist may feel overwhelming and can often times be expensive. Many of the private therapists in our area charge a range of fees from $80 to $200 per session, and sometimes even more. Although many of the private therapists charge expensive fees, there are some resources in our Central Coast area that can be a resource for people who are suffering with depression and are unable to afford the hourly fees.
Catholic Charities is a nonprofit organization that helps people, of all cultures and beliefs, to rise up out of poverty and overcome the barriers to self-sufficiency. Catholic charities does this in a myriad of ways, one of which being, The Mental Health Counseling Program. This program has licensed clinicians who supervise graduate and post graduate students who work individually with clients. They provide clinical counseling for individuals (children, adolescents and adults), couples, and families. This program is available in English or Spanish.
In order to set up an appointment with a counselor initial phone intake is required prior to the appointment and counselors will call to set up the first appointment up. This program is available in the Santa Cruz county office which is located in Watsonville and the Monterey County program is available at the Seaside office.
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY
Catholic Charities: Counseling Program
Office: 217 Lake Avenue
Watsonville, CA 95076
Tel: 831-431-6939
MONTEREY COUNTY
Catholic Charities: Counseling Program
Office: 922 Hilby Ave., Ste. C
Seaside, CA 93955
Tel: 831-393-3110
San Benito County has its own mental health program. They have a myriad of services, one being individual, family, or group counseling is available. Furthermore, they do accept Medi-Cal, which for many low-income families and individuals is the main source of insurance; however, their services are only available to San Benito County residents. In order to take advantage of these services, you must contact them to set up an appointment.
San Benito County:
Mental Health Services
Phone: (831) 636-4020
Office: 1131 San Felipe Road, Hollister
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Website:
Our Mission:
The Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life Project (MSQLP) recognizes that people living with chronic illness have unmet needs. MSQLP is committed to filling these gaps by improving the quality of life of persons with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in the tri-county area of Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Benito. Our programs serve families living with Parkinson's disease (PD) in Monterey County. We work with clients and their families to create comprehensive individual plans and programs that support client independence.
All of our services are free.
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Benefit MSQLP just through shopping online:
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Click on logo for details!
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Click on logo for details!
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BIRTHDAY BLOCK!
Happy Birthday Month to these great individuals:
Saadoun Alrawi, May 1
Cheryl Drader, May 1
James Gettins, May 2
Claudia Herrington, May 2
Diane Taylor, May 7
Robert Holter, May 12
Susan Haus, May 14
Sharone Bonnick, May 15
Terri Bennett, May 19
Robert Pesce, May 22
Benjamin Castro, May 23
Suzanne Adams, May 24
Leslie Welch, May 26
Dana White, May 27
Don't see your name on here when it should be? Call us at 831-333-9091 and remind us about your birthday!
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Tip of the Month
Recognizing the Warning Signs of Depression
By Melissa Bowling- MSQLP Intern
The "Warning Signs of Depression" is a phrase that is, often times, thrown around very loosely and as a quick resolution to someone who is feeling "blue" or simply feeling sad. It is hard to differentiate when it's a natural change in life and a mood fluctuation or if it's actually depression.
Depression is characterized by sad mood and/or loss of interest in daily activities for a time frame of several days - generally around two weeks. With depression, it is common that there is a decrease in pleasure in activity and an increase in irritability. Changes in appetite and in sleep patterns are frequent signs of depression. Physical symptoms include loss of energy, slowing of thought or reduction of physical movement, or agitation. Additional elements that characterize a depressive episode include expression of feelings of worthlessness or guilt, as well as difficulty concentrating.
There is a great article on the Neurology Reviews website about how depression affects the course of a neurological disease. It states that among individuals with neurologic diseases, depression is associated with greater cognitive deficits, greater impairments in activities of daily living, and lower quality of life. Population-based studies suggest that one in every three patients who develop stroke, epilepsy, migraine, or even Parkinson's disease will develop depression. Between 27% and 54% of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) have had an episode of major depressive disorder. You can read more about this article by clicking here.
There are a number of therapeutic approaches that have demonstrated effectiveness in treating depression, including mindfulness-based cognitive therapy and psychodynamic therapy. Regardless of the approach, a trained therapist can help a person view a depressive state without judgment and with curiosity, in an effort to understand, cope with, and eventually heal the source of the depression. In fact, many times simply identifying the source of depression can enhance treatment outcomes and provide some relief from depression. Therapy also helps people to recognize and access their strength, autonomy, and capacity for change. For further information about local counseling resources, read Rachel's "Did You Know?" article in this e-news publication!
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Amy's Corner
Optic Neuritis
By Amy Lamb Heckel RDH
Most MSers are familiar with the term "optic neuritis". Many have been diagnosed with it. Approximately 50% of us MSers experience it as one of our very first symptoms. Why? Because the optic nerve (the filament that connects the eye to the brain) is often demyelinated by MS, resulting in visual disturbances that can be scary, hard to ignore, and difficult to hide.
According to Edward Atkins MD of the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, "many individuals with MS develop optic neuritis during the course of their disease." Because of this it is VERY important to ensure that your ophthalmologist is aware of your MS diagnosis.
My ophthalmologist is not only aware of my MS diagnosis; he also knows that my mother suffered optic neuritis as a symptom of her MS. He takes a yearly fundus photo to check for any changes to my optic nerve. A fundus photos is a photo of the interior (or fundus) of the eye. These photos offer a record over time in which even small changes become apparent. Some insurance companies will cover all or part of this important diagnostic tool.
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on GuideStar and help us grow!
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Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life Project
519B Hartnell Street
Monterey, California 93940
831.333.9091
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