Verde Valley Medical Center (VVMC) is hosting a free Parkinson’s disease support group from 3 - 4:30 p.m., Friday, July 8, in Conference Room C. The meeting is open to individuals with Parkinson's diseases, caregivers, family, friends or anyone interested in Parkinson’s disease and related disorders.

Nancy Bivins, L.M.S.W., a social worker who specializes in working with patients and families affected by Parkinson’s disease. Since 2009, Bivins has lead support groups, provided support assistance coordinated an interdisciplinary clinic and assisted patients and their families as they face the challenge of living well with Parkinson’s disease.

Parkinson’s disease belongs to a group of conditions called movement disorders. It is both chronic and progressive, meaning its symptoms grow worse and continue over time. Some common symptoms of Parkinson’s are tremors of the hands, arms, legs or jaw; rigidity or stiffness of the limbs and trunk; slowness of movement; and postural instability or impaired balance and coordination.

As many as 1 million Americans suffer from Parkinson’s disease and 40,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. On average, the onset age for Parkinson’s disease is 60 years old; however, an estimated 15 percent of Parkinson’s disease patients are diagnosed before the age 50.