BREVARD COUNTY —  The best way to live a healthy life is to make sure you’re taking care of your body and noticing the warning signs if something isn’t right.

One of the early signs of Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s and other dementias is recurring problems with swallowing. For those living with any one of these, it can be life threatening.

One Senior Place will host a series of discussions highlighting Parkinsons disease, Alzheimer’s and dementia beginning with “Changes in Speech & Swallowing” led by Speech-Language Pathologist Marie Gyrant with Nurse on Call.

This first free seminar is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 2 at 8085 Spyglass Hill Road, Viera.

Attendees are required to wear a mask and are asked to RSVP to One Senior Place to save a seat by calling (321) 751-6771.

“There are so many people out in the community that have Parkinson’s and Dementia and are afraid to talk about it” said Barbara Fradkin, director of One Senior Place. “Caregivers need to know how to care for their loved ones, and they have a lot of questions:’

Signs of Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia include memory loss, difficulty walking, tremors and frequent falls, Ms. Fradkin said. She said individuals experiencing any of these symptoms should speak to their doctor, who will then refer patients to a neurologist.

Parkinson’s disease and dementia doesn’t necessarily only occur in seniors, Ms. Fradkin said.

‘Nearly one million people in the United States are living with Parkinson’s disease – approximately 60,000 Americans are diagnosed with PD each year:’ Ms. Fradkin said. ‘Four percent of people with PD are diagnosed before the age of 50:’

Meanwhile, she added, men are 1.5 times more likely to have Parkinson’s disease than women.

Alzheimer’s Disease, Ms. Fradkin said, affects more than six million Americans. About two- thirds of Americans with Alzheimer’s are women, and the National Institute on Aging indicates that the prevalence of it doubles every five years beyond age 65.

Ms. Fradkin recommends talking in a support group and coming to special speaker events. She explained how exploring these resources gives everyone the education they need to learn more about the diseases and how to cope.

‘The caregivers are the super heroes to their loved ones, they watch the changes from these diseases and only want ways to help and make their loved ones lives easier and more fulfilling:’ Ms. Fradkin said.

One Senior Place offers a Parkinson’s Support Group, and Alzheimer’s dementia support groups.

Individuals are invited to attend a free 30-minute consultation to discuss their changes with a certified care manager.

One Senior Place is known throughout the county as a one-stop shop of resources for seniors. The public is welcome to visit for information in the organization’s library on Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s dementia.

One Senior Place meets on the first Monday of every month. In September, the Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s meeting has been moved to Wednesday, September 8 because of Labor Day.

The Sept. 8 speaker will be Dr. Anwar Ahmed, neurologist from Advent Health. He will speak about what’s new in Parkinson’s disease research; a must for all who have been diagnosed and those newly diagnosed, Ms. Fradkin noted.

To learn more about One Senior Place, visit www.oneseniorplace.com.

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About One Senior Place– Now in its 14th year, One Senior Place, The Experts in Aging, is a marketplace of resources and provider of information, advice, care and on-site services for seniors and their family caregivers in Central and East Central Florida.  Completely unique, One Senior Place at 8085 Spyglass Hill Road in Viera is a one-stop information hub and mini-mall “revolutionizing the way America shops for elder care and services.” One Senior Place is home to a wide variety of senior-focused businesses, a resource library and is the site of educational seminars and presentations for seniors. In 2008, One Senior Place was named Florida’s Small Business of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration.  In Brevard, they were honored as  Business of the Year by the Melbourne Regional Chamber of Commerce.  A second location, One Senior Place Orlando, opened in Altamonte Springs in December of 2011.  More information about One Senior Place and One Senior Place Orlando can be found on the company website at OneSeniorPlace.com or by calling 321-751-6771.  View their video at https://youtu.be/RxFCCL0wnRY.