Parkinson’s Disease Association hosts event in Hoquiam on Tuesday
Published 1:30 am Monday, March 30, 2026
April is Parkinson’s Awareness Month. An estimated one million people in the United States live with Parkinson’s Disease, which is the fastest-growing common neurodegenerative disease. In fact, every six minutes, a person is diagnosed with Parkinson’s in the United States. It is a slow progressive movement disorder that results from the loss of dopamine-producing cells in the brain. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that activates the message system from the brain to control movements. To date, there is no known cure or cause, but researchers believe that both environmental and genetic factors may play a role in the development of the disease.
Symptoms vary, but can include tremors, rigidity, cognitive impairment, and difficulty with balance, swallowing, and speaking. The disease usually strikes after individuals reach the age of 60, at first occurring subtly and gradually; it progresses at different speeds in different people.
Hoquiam resident Bob Martin was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2012 when he was 60 years old. He and his wife Betsy Seidel then attended a seminar at O.H.S.U. (Oregon Health and Science University) in Portland for newly diagnosed patients and care partners. There they learned how important it was to regularly attend a Parkinson’s Support Group. When Bob and Betsy found out that the closest group was in Olympia, they decided to immediately start a support group in Grays Harbor.
Now, fourteen years later, the Grays Harbor Parkinson’s Support Group continues to meet monthly on the last Tuesday of every month from 2:00 to 3:30 pm in the Hoquiam Timberland Library’s downstairs meeting room. Currently there are 54 members on the roster, and it keeps growing! It is a time to share concerns, solutions, and joys with people who have Parkinson’s and their care partners. At the meetings guest speakers cover all sorts of topics relevant to Parkinson’s. Here are some of the topics that have been addressed by the speakers: restless legs, safe driving, physical and speech therapy, fall prevention, North Beach Medical Equipment, Parkinson’s medicines, nutrition, Olympic Area Agency on Aging, Harbors Home Health and Hospice, RSVP, singing, dancing, YMCA programs, Personal Service Providers, Long Term Care and Assisted Living options as well as living safely at home, Timberland Library’s Aids for Better Living, Harbor Regional Health Hospital, wills and legal papers, eye care, traveling with Parkinson’s, Deep Brain Stimulation, and speakers from Seattle’s American Parkinson Disease Association and the Northwest Parkinson’s Foundation. Since exercise is known to be very helpful for Parkinson’s patients, speakers have taught chair yoga, Tai Chi, Sit and Be Fit with plastic balls, and SAIL (Stay Active and Independent for Life) to the support group. Aberdeen neurologist Dr. John Miller has also been an informative guest speaker a few times.
The group was also treated to a special visit by Seattle film maker Aimie Vallat who has made the documentary Present Moment about her dad Gary who has Parkinson’s. She, her dad and mom, and a representative from the Northwest Parkinson’s Foundation showed the award-winning film (that has been shown on PBS) and answered questions. The film shares one family’s perspective on how a chronic illness affects the whole family.
Occasionally, the group holds Breakout Sessions in which patients and care partners separate to discuss relevant topics and share personal experiences. When Bob and Betsy volunteered at the World Parkinson Congress in Portland, Oregon, in 2016, they reported what they had learned. The next WPC will be in Phoenix, Arizona, where they will go again. Years ago, a group of seven members attended a HOPE conference in Bellevue together thanks to a Five Star van loaned to non-profit groups.
The camaraderie of the Grays Harbor Support Group has also grown. There is a Christmas party in December and a potluck in the summer for the members. Realizing you’re not alone and that you have fellow patients and care partners who understand your situation is empowering.
On Tuesday, March 31, the American Parkinson’s Disease Association Northwest Chapter from Seattle is hosting a free program at the Grays Harbor Immanuel Baptist Church at 1200 Soule Avenue in Hoquiam. Dr. Justin Miller is a neuropsychologist from the University of Washington Medicine Neurosciences Institute who will present a program on Healthy Brains/Healthy Aging. He’ll also share information on the non-motor symptoms of Parkinson’s, including cognitive, mood, and behavior changes. Attendees will learn practical strategies to support cognitive resilience and be able to ask questions. It is open to people with PD, care partners, families, and everyone is invited; you don’t have to have Parkinson’s to attend this special presentation.
Please register at https://secure.qgiv.com/for/ancnf/event/apdahoquiam/ if you would like to attend or learn more about it at www.apda@apdaparkinson.org/NW
For more information on the Grays Harbor Parkinson’s Support Group or contact Betsy Seidel at 360-533-5968 or betsycamel@yahoo.com
