April is Parkinson Awareness Month

“I feel so alone! I feel like there was no one else in Berrien County with Parkinson Disease.” Most people when first diagnosed with Parkinson Disease feel this way, and do not realize there is a Support Group for them. We gather monthly to meet others living with Parkinson Disease. We meet at Lakeland Hospital on the 2nd Thursday of the Month from 3 pm to 5 pm in the Lakeland HealthCare / Frederick S. Upton Education Center in Rooms 5 & 6 on the first floor. The group provides friendship and essential support for both the person affected with Parkinson Disease and their caregivers. We strive to be informed on the newest research treatment and possible cause and cure of this devastating life alternating disease. At most meetings, we have informative Speakers and try to take time to break out into groups (Caregivers and Parkinsonians) to get the feeling of individual support of someone living with this disease like you. Since there is so much more information than we can provide at these monthly meetings, we decided to provide books and materials to everyone at no cost to them, not just through our meetings but also through various Libraries throughout Berrien County. In 2009 and 2010, the Berrien County Parkinson Disease Support Group, an affiliation of Michigan Parkinson Foundation, decided to take on the challenge to promote Parkinson Awareness in the community. Using recommendations and suggestions of our local professionals: such as physical therapists, speech therapists, doctors, counselors and most importantly the People with Parkinson and their Care Partners,we purchased books for Berrien County Libraries. We made sure that each library has the same books accessible to them.

Then the Support Group members began the project of providing ‘E-Books’ for the libraries. E-books are an electronic version of a printed book that can be read on a computer or handheld device designed specifically for this purpose. With Alicia Ford, Assistant Director from the Maude Preston Library in St. Joseph as our Liaison for this project, she informed us on the procedures and approximate costs per e-book versus the cost for a hardbound book.

The selection of E-Books contained updated versions of the hardbound books we had already purchased, more a variety of books, and a wonderful selection of treatments, autobiography and research and caregiver support books.

Generous Grants from the American Electric Power’s Heart of Cook Foundation and private donations made it possibleto promote Parkinson Awareness through e-books, advertising, distribution materials for Health Fairs, and other awareness activities.

Here is what we were able to provide:

Books on Hand (Hardbound)

What's Shakin': An Insider’s Look at the Humorous Side of Parkinson Diseaseby John Brissette(Mar 31, 2007).

The Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center 100 Questions & Answers About Parkinson Disease, Second Editionby Abraham Lieberman(Nov 24, 2009)

·Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimistby Michael J. Fox(Mar 31, 2009)

·Lucky Man: A Memoirby Michael J. Fox(Apr 9, 2003)

·Saving Milly: Love, Politics, and Parkinson Disease (Ballantine Reader's Circle)

·The Comfort of Home for Parkinson Disease: A Guide for Caregivers by Maria M. Meyer(Author),RN Paula Derr(Author),Susan C. Imke R.N.(Contributor).

·The Parkinson Disease Treatment Book: Partnering with Your Doctor to Get the Most from Your Medications[Hardcover] by J. Eric Ahlskog.

Parkinson Disease and the Family: A New Guide(Harvard University Press Family Health Guides) [Paperback] by Nutan Sharma M.D.(Author), Elaine Richman Ph.D..

Parkinson Disease and the Art of Moving

by John Argue(Feb 15, 2000).

E - Books

Ask the Doctor about Parkinson's Diseaseby Hurbert H. Fernan, and Michael S. Okum.

Making a Connection between Brain and Behavior; Coping with Parkinson'sDiseaseby Joseph Friedman.

Parkinson's Disease- Fast Facts by K Ray Chudhuri, Christopher C Clough, Kapil D. Sethi.

Parkinson's Disease - Living with Diseaseby Lori Dittmer

Parkinson's Disease for Dummiesby Michele Tagliat, MF Gary Guten, MD, MA, Jo Horne MD, etc

Parkinson's Disease: 300 Tips for Making Life Easierby Shelley Peterman Schwarz.

Parkinson's Disease: A complete Guide for Patients and Familyby William J. Weiner, Lisa M Shulman, Anthony E. Lang.

Parkinson's Disease: Non-Motor and Non-Dopaminergic Featuresby C Warren Olanow, Fabrizio Stoochi, Anthony Lang.

So I've Got Parkinson's DiseasebyTerry Rummins.

Stop Parkin' and Start Livin' - Reversing the Symptoms of Parkinson's Diseaseby John C. Coleman.

Take Charge of Parkinson's Disease; Dynamic Lifestyle Changes to put YOU in the Driver's Seatby Anne Mikkelson with Carolyn Stinson.

The Cognitive Neuropsychiatry of Parkinson's Diseaseby Patrick McNamara.

The Encyclopedia of Parkinson's Diseaseby Anthony Mosley, MD, MS.

Understanding Parkinson's Disease -A Self-Help Guideby David L. Cram, Ziao Gao, Steven Schechter.

Winning My Battle (and Maybe Yours) with Parkinson’sby Ray Farkas.

Yoga and Parkinson's Disease - A Journey to Health and Healing by Peggy van Hulstey, Barbara Gage, Connie Fisher

There are currently 29 member libraries, and more area libraries may continue to join in the future. Member libraries include: Allegan District Library, Augusta-Ross Township District Library, Berrien Springs Community Library, Bridgman Public Library, Buchanan District Library, Cass District Library, Coloma Public Library, Comstock Township Library, Dowagiac District Library, Eau Claire District Library, Galesburg Memorial Library, Hartford Public Library, J. C. Wheeler Public Library, Lawton Public Library, Lincoln Township Public Library, Marcellus Township Library, New Buffalo Township Public Library, Niles District Library, Otsego District Public Library, Parchment Community Library, Paw Paw District Library, Ransom District Library, Richland Community Library, South Haven Memorial Library, St. Joseph /Maud Preston Palenske Memorial Library, Three Oaks Township Public Library, Three Rivers Public Library, Vicksburg District Library, and the Watervliet District Library.

E-Book instructions

What do I need before I can download an eBook from the Southwest Michigan Digital Library?:
1) Computer (PC or Mac; desktop computer or laptops; many tablets like the iPad) or mobile device (devices such as the iPod Touch, eReaders such as the Kindle or Nook, smartphones, etc.)
2) Internet/WiFi connection (required to search for and download an eBook; once downloaded, you will not need an internet connection to read the eBook)
3) Library card (must get from your "home" library wherever you reside and pay taxes. To get a library card, you must show proof of residence -- can be as simple as presenting your driver's license. If your current address is not on your driver's license, other official proof of residence is required such as a lease agreement or utility bill, along w/a Social Security Card or passport. **Check with your home library to see what they require to issue a library card, as it may vary from library to library. If your library is not a member of the Southwest Michigan Digital Library, you may have the option of purchasing a library card for a fee from one of the other member libraries.)
4) Free software or app downloaded onto your computer or mobile device -- for mobile devices, eReaders, and tablets, one can download the app from their App Store (just search for "OverDrive Media Console app" and follow the steps to download and install; then, go to the Settings in your app to authorize your device, which will require you to set up a free account at www.adobe.comand then enter it into your Settings) or from the Southwest Michigan Digital Library http://smdl.lib.overdrive.com(following the same steps above after clicking on the option to get the OverDrive Media Console app). For computers (PC or Macs), download "Adobe Digital Editions" software on your computer from the digital library website.
After I've gotten my library card and free software/app, how do I download an eBook? First, browse for the eBook you would like to download on the digital library website http://smdl.lib.overdrive.com. If there is an eBook available for check out now, click on the “Borrow” option (if it is checked out, it will give you the "Place a Hold" option where you will go on a waiting list, receiving an email when the eBook is available for check out). You will then need to sign in with your library card -- for example, from the St. Joseph library, you would select “St. Joseph/Maud Preston Palenske Memorial Library” and type in your entire library card # (no spaces) and pin # (last 4 digits of library card #). You are now ready to check out/download the eBook. Depending on whether using the software or app and what type of device you are using, the next steps to complete the download of the eBook vary. Typically, you must click on the Download option and choose the 7 or 14 day lending period from a menu (make sure to choose Kindle eBook if using a Kindle device or app; otherwise, choose the EPUB or PDF eBook option). If using the OverDrive app, the book will download into your app immediately after choosing Download. For Kindle users, there are further download steps to follow from Amazon's website. For computer users, the eBook downloads into Adobe Digital Editions; for some eReader users, a USB cord is required and steps are needed to transfer the eBook from Digital Editions onto the eReader. The digital library website has a good "Help" tab to answer frequently asked questions.
How many eBooks can I check out at a time, and for how long? You can check out up to 5 eBooks and/or audio books at a time for 1 or 2 week periods (which you choose when checking it out). You cannot renew it, but you can download it again, for another 2 weeks if no one else is waiting for it.