Support Groups
These support groups are for people with Parkinson’s and their caregivers. Each support group is facilitated by a peer, care partner, or health professional. The format of each support group varies, but many have monthly speakers who speak about topics such as nutrition, exercise, physical therapy, and voice therapy.
If you are interested in starting a support group in your area, please contact Susan Callison, the Program Manager at 515-782-4386 or apdaiowa@apdaparkinson.org.
If you are interested in a support group in Iowa, please click here and fill out a form to let us know you are interested and where you are located.
Young Onset Parkinson’s Disease Support Group
The Young Onset Parkinson’s Disease Support Group of Iowa is a group of people with young onset Parkinson’s and their caregivers who provide support to each other with the unique challenges that this conditions creates at a younger age.When someone who is 21-50 years old receives a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease, it is referred to as early onset Parkinson’s disease, or young onset Parkinson’s disease. Learn more about young onset Parkinson’s disease.
Meeting Format: Meetings are held in-person around the Des Moines Metro, some meetings are teleconferenced to include members from around the state. Social gatherings are also planned on a regular basis.
Facebook Group: There is a private Facebook group available to reach other people with Young Onset Parkinson’s disease. Search ” Parkinson’s Young Onset Support Group Of Iowa”
Contact: Michelle Lorey at mlorey1968@gmail.com or Kim Roby kimbo6179@aol.com
APDA Support Groups
| City/County | Leader/Phone | Location |
| Ackley/Hardin County 2nd Wednesdays 2:00 – 4:00 pm | Alan Keninger alankeninger@hotmail.com 641-521-6433 | Ackley Civic Center 640 Main St. Ackley IA 50601 |
| Ames/Story County Every Tuesday 2:00 – 3:00 pm | Elizabeth Stegemoller esteg@iastate.edu 515-294-5966 | First Baptist Church of Ames 200 Lynn Ave, Ames, IA 50010 |
| Ames/Story County 4th Tuesday 2:00 | Melissa Searle melissa.searle@homeinstead.com 515-745-7131 | Northridge Village 3300 George Washington Carver Ave. Ames, IA 50010 |
| Anamosa/Jones 1st Mondays 3:00 pm | Jones Regional Medical Center Allison Niedermann allison.niedermann@unitypoint.org – 319-481-6195 | Jones Regional Medical Center 1795 Hwy 64 East Anamosa, IA 52205 |
| Atlantic/Cass County Mon and Tues 1:00 pm | Gabby Johnson gjohnson@wesleylife.org 712-243-1850 | Heritage House 1200 Brookridge Cir Atlantic, IA 50022 |
| Bettendorf/Scott County 3rd Tuesday 6:30 pm | Marilyn Woelke mewoelke@gmail.com 309-781-6462 | The Fountains Senior Living 3726 Thunder Ridge Ct. Bettendorf, IA 52722 |
| Bettendorf/Scott County 3rd Saturday 10:00 am-12:00 pm | Rick and Janet Martin martin40803@gmail.com 563-940-5783 | Palmer Hills Retirement Center 2617 Maplecrest Rd. Bettendorf, IA 52722 |
| Burlington/Des Moines County Every Tu and Th 12:30 – 1:30 pm | Stephie Libben slibben@grhs.net | Great River Medical Center – Black Hawk Room 1221 Gear Avenue Burlington, IA 52655 |
| Carroll/Carroll County Every Thursday 11:00 am | Melissa Schultes mschultes@stanthonyhospital.org 712-794-5815 | St. Anthony’s Regional Hospital 311 S. Clark St. Carroll, IA 51401 |
| Centerville/Appanoose County Last Thursday 10:00 – 11:30 am March thru October | Sherri Doggett and Malinda Hancox sherri.doggett@mercyoneiowa.org malinda.hancox@mercoyoneiowa.org 641-437-3445 | MercyOne One St. Joseph’s Drive Centerville, IA 52544 |
| Creston/Union County 3rd Monday 2:00 – 3:30 pm | Candace Honnold clhonnold@gmail.com 515-480-5098 | Salem Lutheran Church 602 West Townline St. Creston, IA |
| Des Moines/Polk County 1st Tuesdays 1:30 pm | Ryan Larson james.ryanlarson@highmarkseniorliving.com 515-705-8270 Keli@nextlevelsenior.com | Beaverdale Edencrest 3410 Beaver Ave Des Moines, IA 50310 |
| Des Moines/Polk County 1st Wednesday 2:00 pm | Glenn Baughman and Julie Reed grbiowa@gmail.com jreed@wesleylive.org | Wesley on Grand 3520 Grand Ave., Building 2 Des Moines, IA |
| Dubuque/Dubuque County 3rd Saturday 10:00 – 11:00 am | Judy and Gerald Osterhaus judyosterhaus@gmail.com Judy-563-583-7827 | Unity Point – Finley Hospital Woodward Auditorium 350 N Grandview Ave Dubuque, IA 52001 |
| Fairfield/Jefferson County 1st Tuesday 4:00 pm | Michelle Boeding Kreuter MBoeding-Kreuter@jeffersoncountyhealthcenter.org 641-469-4295 | Jefferson County Health Center Conference Room C 2000 S. Main St. Fairfield, IA 52556 |
| Fort Dodge/ Webster County 1st Wednesday 11:30 am – 12:30 pm | Kourtney Lenz kourtney.lenz@friendshiphaven.org 515.573.6270 | Friendship Haven, Schmoker Building 420 Kenyon Rd, Fort Dodge, IA 50501 |
| Indianola/Warren County 3rd Thursday 10:00 am | Monica Vail mvail@wesleylife.org 515-962-4700 | The Village 1203 North E Street Indianola, IA 50125 |
| Iowa City/ Johnson County 3rd Tuesday 6:00 – 7:00 pm | Gloria Drapac gloria.drapac@gmail.com 319-621-5224 or Angie Longou angie@angielongou.com 319-631-2385 | Grand Living at Bridgewater 3 Russell Slade Boulevard Coralville, IA 52241 |
| Leon/Decatur County Thursdays during the 3rd full week of the month 5:00 pm | Shannon Erb serb@d-c-h.org 641-446-2229 link to information | Decatur County Hospital 1405 NW Church St Leon, Iowa 50144 |
| Marshalltown/ Marshall County 2nd Tuesday 10:30 am | Lois Eige ljeige@gmail.com 641-751-9510 | Marshalltown YMCA 108 Washington St. Marshalltown, IA 50158 |
| Osceola/Clarke County 2nd Wednesday 1:00 – 2:00 pm | Nicole Lowe, PhD, RN nloew@clarkehosp.org 641-342-5292 | Clarke County Hospital 800 S Fillmore St Osceola, IA 50213 |
| Ottumwa/Wapello County 1st Tuesdays 2:00 pm | Kristi Damerval kdamerval@hotmail.com | Ottumwa YMCA 611 N Hancock St. Ottumwa, IA 52501 |
| Sioux City/Woodbury County 4th Monday – 1:00 pm | Sally Reinert sreinert@evertek.net 402-987-3516 | Siouxland Center for Active Generation 313 Cook Street Sioux City, IA 51103 |
| Spirit Lake/Dickinson County 1st Tuesday 10:45 am | Amy Benge abenge@iastate.edu 712-336-3488 | Bedell Family YMCA 1900 41st St. Spirit Lake |
| Storm Lake/Buena Vista County 2nd Tuesday 1:30 pm | Glen Schulz glennschulz1949@gmail.com 201-317-3318 | St. Mark Lutheran Church 1614 West 5th Street Storm Lake, IA 50588 |
| Urbandale/Polk County 3rd Wednesday 2:00 pm | Madison Long mlong@seniorhelpers.com 515-251-7444 | Senior Helpers 2951 86th St. Urbandale, IA 50322 |
| Waukee/Dallas County 3rd Friday 1:30 pm | Laura McPike apdaiowa@apdaparkinson.org 515-478-4653 | Independence Village Community Room 1650 SE Holiday Crest Circle Waukee, IA 50263 |
| Waverly/Bremer County 2nd Saturday 10:00 am | Mary Ochoa mochoa@waverlyhealthcenter.org 319-352-4961 | Waverly Health Center 312 9th Street SW Waverly, IA 50677 |
| Webster City/ Webster County 3rd Tuesday 11:00 am – 12:00 pm | Diana Rafka, OT drafka@21stcenturyrehab.com or Laurie Andrews, DPD landrews@21stcenturyrehab.com 515-832-7735 | Van Diest Medical Center Conference Room 2350 Hospital Dr. Webster City, Iowa 50595 (enter through the West entrance) |
| West Des Moines/Polk County 3rd Saturdays 10:00 am | Lynhon Stout lynhon19@gmail.com 515-965-9245 | Grand Living Tower Place 540 S. 51st Street West Des Moines, IA |
| West Des Moines/Polk County 2nd Tuesdays 12:30 – 1:30 pm | Catherine Powell catherine.powell@rockvalleypt.com 712-243-1850 | Rock Valley Physical Therapy 3701 EP True Parkway STE 300 West Des Moines, 50265 |
| West Des Moines/ Polk County | Young Onset Support Group Kim Roby kimbo6179@aol.com or Michelle Lorey mlorey1968@gmail.com | Please contact Kim Roby or Michelle Lorey for information about location and timings. Private Facebook Group- Search: Parkinson’s Young Onset Support Group of Iowa. |
Parkinson’s Support Groups at Community Partners
| Ankeny/Polk County | On With Life Tammy Miller tammy.miller@onwithlife.org 515-289-9662 | 4th Thursday of the month, 5-6:30 pm In Person at On with Life, Ankeny and via Zoom |
| Urbandale/Polk County | Lewy Body Dementia Support Group Cookie Cranston 515-306-2925 | Currently meeting in person at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church Urbandale, IA 50322 and on zoom |
| Bettendorf, IA/ Scott County | Lewy Body Dementia Support Group Marilyn Woelke, MAG, LMSW, CDS mewoelke@gmail.com 309-781-6462 | The Fountains Senior Living 3726 Thunder Ridge Rd. Bettendorf, IA |