Local Parkinson’s Disease Support Groups in California

A Resource Guide for Patients, Families, and Caregivers

A Parkinson’s disease diagnosis changes everything — for the person living with it and for the family standing beside them. 

The tremors, the shifts in routine, and the uncertainty about what comes next. It’s a lot to carry, and no one should have to carry it alone.

Support groups offer something that no medication or care plan can fully replicate: community. 

Being in a room, or sometimes a screen, with others who truly understand what daily life looks like with Parkinson’s can be profoundly comforting. 

Whether you are newly diagnosed, years into managing symptoms, or a caregiver looking for guidance and connection, these groups can make a meaningful difference.

California is home to a rich network of Parkinson’s disease support groups — from hospital-affiliated programs at institutions like Stanford and UCSD to independent community organizations that have been serving local families for years. 

We have compiled this guide to help you find the resources closest to you.

And when you are ready for additional support at home, NurseRegistry is here to help. 

We match Parkinson’s patients and their families with licensed RNs and LVNs who provide skilled, compassionate in-home nursing care — right where you feel most comfortable.

Resources in California for Parkinsons Disease

Northern California Parkinson’s Support Groups

The following groups serve patients and caregivers across the San Francisco Bay Area, Marin County, the East Bay, Silicon Valley, Sacramento, and surrounding regions.

Corte Madera (Marin County) — PD-Connect Exercise & Support

  • Organization: PD-Connect
  • Type: Independent 501(c)(3)
  • Format: Virtual + In-Person
  • Contact: Lisa Oei
  • Phone: (415) 604-2477
  • Email: lisa@PD-Connect.org
  • Notes: Exercise-focused group with virtual reach across Northern California.

East Bay (Oakland, Berkeley & East Bay) — PD Active

  • Organization: PD Active — North Oakland Senior Center PD Group
  • Format: In-Person
  • Contact: Evangeline Poulos, Operations and Outreach Coordinator
  • Phone: (510) 479-6119
  • Email: operations@pdactive.org

Marin County — Mill Valley / Marin County PD Support Group

  • Format: In-Person
  • Phone: (415) 927-7647
  • Email: knsj@mac.com

Mountain View — Parkinson’s Institute & Clinical Center

Palo Alto / Stanford — Stanford Parkinson’s Community Outreach Groups

Sacramento — Multiple Parkinson’s Support Groups

Sacramento is served by several groups through the Parkinson Association of Northern California (PANC) as well as independent organizations.

Parkinson Association of Northern California (PANC)

  • Serves as the regional umbrella organization for several Sacramento-area groups
  • Email: panc@panctoday.org

Parkinson’s Support Group of Sacramento (Arden-Arcade)

  • Affiliated With: PANC
  • Format: In-Person
  • Meeting Time: 4th Thursday, 9:30am–noon at the Dante Club
  • Contacts: Betty Tronson / Barbie Light
  • Phone: (916) 395-2771 / (916) 961-1867

Young Onset Parkinson’s Group — Sacramento

  • Affiliated With: PANC
  • Format: In-Person
  • Meeting Time: 1st Tuesday, 6:30pm
  • Contacts: Susan Lopez-Payan / Danielle Hand-Nicholls
  • Phone: (916) 995-2047 / (916) 837-5640
  • Website: panctoday.org

Asian Community Center PD Group

  • Affiliated With: PANC
  • Format: In-Person
  • Meeting Time: 2nd Thursday, 1:00pm at the ACC Senior Center
  • Contacts: David Teraoku / Jerry Miyamoto
  • Phone: (916) 685-4162 / (916) 441-1020

Spanish-Language PD Group (Hispanic/Latino Community)

  • Hosted By: ACC Senior Center
  • Format: In-Person
  • Meeting Time: 3rd Tuesday, 6:00–7:30pm (free for Sacramento County residents)

San Jose — St. Francis Episcopal Church PD Groups

St. Francis Episcopal Church hosts both a Parkinson’s survivor group and a dedicated caregiver group.

Survivor Group

  • Format: In-Person
  • Contacts: Dave Lambert / Pat Flanigan
  • Phone: (408) 505-4398 / (408) 313-1271

Caregiver Group

  • Format: In-Person
  • Contact: Charmaine Eng
  • Phone: (408) 723-8116

Walnut Creek / Pleasanton — Parkinson Network of Mt. Diablo

  • Organization: Parkinson Network of Mt. Diablo (Independent 501(c)(3))
  • Format: In-Person (separate chapters in Walnut Creek & Pleasanton)
  • Contact: Walter Moeller, Outreach Chair
  • Phone: (650) 631-0650
  • Email: outreach@pnmd.net

Southern California Parkinson’s Support Groups

The following groups serve patients and caregivers across the Greater Los Angeles area, Orange County, San Diego, Riverside County, and surrounding communities.

Chula Vista — UC San Diego Health PD Group

  • Affiliated With: UCSD Health
  • Format: In-Person
  • Meeting Time: 1st Wednesday, 1:00–3:00pm at Norman Park Senior Center

Fountain Valley (Orange County) — Orange County APDA Support Group

  • Affiliated With: American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA)
  • Format: In-Person
  • Meeting Time: 3rd Thursday at Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center
  • Contact: Teri Brown
  • Phone: (714) 378-5022
  • Website: apdaparkinson.org

Glendale (Los Angeles) — Vallejo Drive SDA Church PD Groups

  • Format: In-Person
  • Meeting Times: 3rd Wednesday at noon and 4th Wednesday at 7:00pm
  • Contact: Mary Jane Capalad
  • Phone: (626) 397-3801

La Mesa (East County San Diego) — East County Live PD Support Group

  • Format: In-Person
  • Meeting Time: 4th Wednesday, 1:30pm

Mission Viejo (Orange County) — South Orange County PD Support Group

Orange County — Parkinson’s Orange County

Riverside — Riverside PD Support Group

  • Format: In-Person
  • Meeting Time: 2nd Tuesday, 10:00am at Kountry Folks Restaurant
  • Contact: Susan Brunner
  • Phone: (951) 745-6057

San Diego (Point Loma) — SD Central County Support Group

  • Affiliated With: Parkinson’s Association of San Diego
  • Format: In-Person
  • Meeting Time: 4th Tuesday, 10:00am–noon (reservations required)
  • Contact: Dolores Cohenour
  • Email: doloresviolacohenour@gmail.com
  • Website: parkinsonsassociation.org

Temecula / Murrieta (SW Riverside County) — Southwest Riverside County Parkinson’s Support Group

  • Format: In-Person
  • Meeting Time: 3rd Friday, 11:30am at LionHeart Gym (also serves Lake Elsinore & Menifee)
  • Contact: Steve Steinberg
  • Phone: (951) 719-9195
  • Email: steve@whatsshakingman.com

Bonus: Stroke Support Groups in California

California PD resources

Many families navigating neurological conditions also benefit from stroke support resources. Below are several established stroke support groups across Northern and Southern California.

Northern California

Sacramento — Kaiser Permanente Sacramento Stroke Support Group

  • Affiliated With: American Stroke Association
  • Contact: Cindy Centerwall
  • Phone: (916) 977-3051
  • Meeting Time: 4th Monday, 12:00–1:30pm

Sacramento — Mercy San Juan Stroke Support Group

San Francisco Bay Area — San Francisco Stroke Support Group

  • Affiliated With: American Stroke Association
  • Format: Virtual (caregivers and survivors welcome)
  • Website: stroke.org

Bay Area — REACH Program (Brain Injury & Stroke)

  • Format: In-Person
  • Notes: Established 1989; serves acquired brain injuries including stroke

Southern California

Burbank (LA) — Life After Stroke

  • Affiliated With: American Stroke Association
  • Meeting Time: Every Thursday, 11:00am–1:00pm at 501 S Buena Vista St
  • Phone: (818) 925-4343

Encinitas (San Diego) — Scripps Memorial Stroke & Brain Injury Group

  • Affiliated With: Scripps Health
  • Location: Conference Center, 354 Santa Fe Drive
  • Website: scripps.org

La Mesa (San Diego) — Grossmont Rehabilitation Stroke Club

  • Affiliated With: Grossmont Hospital
  • Phone: (619) 740-4104
  • Notes: Also offers adaptive golf and aquatics programs

Long Beach (LA) — Stroke Support Long Beach

  • Affiliated With: American Stroke Association
  • Meeting Time: Every Tuesday, 10:00–11:30am at 3759 Orange Ave
  • Phone: (562) 537-0556

Los Angeles (Beverly Hills) — One Stroke Ahead

  • Affiliated With: American Stroke Association
  • Meeting Time: 2nd Tuesday, 6:30–8:00pm at 8700 Beverly Blvd
  • Phone: (310) 423-6358

San Diego (Hillcrest) — UCSD Brain Injury / Stroke Support (HITSS)

  • Affiliated With: UCSD Medical Center
  • Meeting Time: Saturdays, 1:00–2:30pm
  • Phone: (800) 986-4487

San Diego (Kearny Mesa) — Young Enthusiastic Stroke Survivors (YESS!)

  • Affiliated With: American Stroke Association / Sharp Rehabilitation Center
  • Meeting Time: Tuesday evenings, 6:00pm
  • Phone: (858) 939-6762

In-Home Nursing Care for Parkinson’s Disease — NurseRegistry

Support groups are an invaluable part of living well with Parkinson’s disease. But for many patients and families, there comes a point when additional support is needed at home.

That is where NurseRegistry comes in.

NurseRegistry is a California-based private duty nurse staffing agency that hand-matches Parkinson’s patients with licensed Registered Nurses (RNs) and Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs). 

We exclusively place licensed nurses. No CNAs, no general caregivers. Just highly qualified professionals who understand the nuanced, progressive nature of Parkinson’s disease.

Our in-home Parkinson’s care services include:

  • Medication management and “On/Off” period monitoring
  • Fall prevention and mobility assistance
  • Sleep and overnight care
  • Swallowing assessments and nutrition support
  • Communication and speech therapy reinforcement
  • Coordination with physicians and specialists
  • Respite care to support family caregivers
  • 24/7 flexible scheduling with no insurance restrictions

With a network of 500+ licensed nurses across California, NurseRegistry can match you quickly, even on short notice. 

Our client services team is available around the clock to answer your questions and begin the matching process.

You do not have to face Parkinson’s disease alone. 

Whether you are looking for a few hours of respite support or full-time skilled nursing care, NurseRegistry is ready to help.

Note: Group meeting times, locations, and contact details may change. We recommend reaching out directly to each organization to confirm current schedules before attending.

The post Local Parkinson’s Disease Support Groups in California appeared first on NurseRegistry.

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