This is a list of all support groups in Northern/Central California for those dealing with LBD, MSA, PSP, CBD, CBS, and related disorders:
Support Groups Focused on Lewy Body Dementia
Brain Support Network LBD Caregiver Support Group – Virtual
Who: Caregivers and family members living in Northern or Central California only
When: Usually the 2nd Sunday of odd-numbered months, 5-6:30pm
Note: Includes caregivers for Lewy body dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies, and Parkinson’s disease dementia
Contact: Robin Riddle, supportgroup@
Brain Support Network LBD Caregiver Support Group – In-Person
Who: Caregivers and family members living in Northern or Central California only
Location: San Mateo
When: Usually the 2nd Sunday of even-numbered months, 5-6:30pm
Note: Includes caregivers for Lewy body dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies, and Parkinson’s disease dementia
Contact: Robin Riddle, supportgroup@
Gold River LBD Family Caregiver Group – Virtual
Who: Caregivers and family members in surrounding area
When: 2nd Thursday, 10-11:30am
Contact: Denise Davis, Alzheimer’s Association, [email protected], 916-930-9080, ext 1214
North Bay LBD Group – Virtual
Who: Caregivers and family members in surrounding area
When: 2nd Tuesday, 4:30-6pm
Contact: Helen Medsger, [email protected], 707-477-1210
Support Groups Focused on Multiple System Atrophy
Brain Support Network MSA Caregiver Support Group – Virtual
Who: Caregivers and family members living in Northern or Central California only
When: Usually the 2nd Sunday of odd-numbered months, 5-6:30pm
Contact: Robin Riddle, supportgroup@
Brain Support Network MSA Caregiver Support Group – In-Person
Who: Caregivers and family members living in Northern or Central California only
Location: San Mateo
When: Usually the 2nd Sunday of even-numbered months, 5-6:30pm
Contact: Robin Riddle, supportgroup@
Brain Support Network MSA (with diagnosis) Support Group – Virtual
Who: Those with MSA who live in Northern or Central California only
When: Odd-numbered months – 1st Wednesday, noon-1pm. Even-numbered months, usually the 2nd Sunday, 3-4pm
Contact: Robin Riddle, supportgroup@
Support Groups Focused on Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, Corticobasal Degeneration, and Corticobasal Syndrome
Brain Support Network PSP, CBD, and CBS Caregiver Support Group – Virtual
Who: Caregivers and family members living in Northern or Central California only
When: Usually the 2nd Sunday of odd-numbered months, 5-6:30pm. (RSVP by noon the day before)
Contact: Robin Riddle, supportgroup@
Brain Support Network PSP, CBD, and CBS Caregiver Support Group – In-Person
Who: Caregivers and family members living in Northern or Central California only
Location: San Mateo
When: Usually the 2nd Sunday of even-numbered months, 5-6:30pm
Contact: Robin Riddle, supportgroup@
Brain Support Network PSP, CBD, and CBS (with diagnosis) Support Group – Virtual
Who: Those with PSP, CBD, or CBS who live in Northern or Central California only
When: Usually the 2nd Sunday, 2-2:30pm
Contact: Robin Riddle, supportgroup@
Support Groups Focused on Other Disorders
It’s certainly worth trying out a Parkinson’s Disease support group in your area! Check out the Stanford University website for PD support groups in Northern and Central California:
If you are coping with PSP or CBD, consider frontotemporal degeneration (FTD) support groups. Note that these groups are generally focused on the behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia. There are FTD caregiver-only support groups in San Francisco and Sacramento. Find details on The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD) website.
Finally, if you are a caregiver, consider attending a dementia caregiver support group (many of which are run by the Alzheimer’s Association such that most attendees are Alzheimer’s Disease caregivers) or a general caregiver support group (many of which are run by local senior centers). Check out this (outdated) link on the Stanford University website: