The contribution of generous funding grants by the Rotorua Energy Charitable Trust and the Lakeland Disabilities Support Trust has enabled the Parkinson’s Central Plateau Division to present a stimulating “Mind and Body” seminar at the Holiday Inn Hotel in Rotorua on 8 November.
The grants have allowed the local Parkinson’s support group to invite two guest speakers selected for their ability to provide positive and informative points of view on mental and physical health in a seminar attractive to both health professionals and the public.
The morning speaker is Wayne Froggatt, a director of The NZ Centre for Cognitive Behaviour Therapy. Wayne’s topic will be: “The Management and Prevention of Depression that can occur in Neurological Disorders”.
More than 60 per cent of people with neurological problems are likely to have some level of depression which can impact heavily on families and carers. Wayne has written four self help books and a computer training program for cognitive behaviour therapy. He is a teacher and a social worker in the mental health field and covers areas of psychotherapy, supervision, training, stress management and writing.
The afternoon speaker is Tara Martin, a gifted young physiotherapist with a passion for the rehabilitation of people with neurological conditions such as: Stroke, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s, brain injury and spinal cord injury. She is New Zealand’s only instructor of LSVT BIG , an internationally recognised physiotherapy programme to help prevent falls for people with Parkinson’s.
Parkinson’s Central Plateau Division chairperson Diana Adlam says the generous grants from the Rotorua Energy Charitable Trust and the Lakeland Disabilities Support Trust have made it possible for the Parkinson’s Group to invite such prestigious speakers to a local seminar. She is confident that the seminar will be interactive and informative for the health professionals, focus groups and individuals who regularly deal with the symptoms and consequences of neurological conditions.
This “Mind and Body” seminar has been created as part of the annual Parkinson’s Awareness Week activities to try to help to raise understanding about Parkinson’s in the community. The Central Plateau Division covers Rotorua, Taupo and Turangi and caters for about 80 people who live with the condition and about 250 carers or family members.
For more information or assistance from the Parkinson’s Support Group and details of the seminar please contact our office in Community House, phone 07-348 3936 and leave a message or email parkinsonsoff.rotorua@yahoo. co.nz