For our January 2025 meetup, we were pleased to welcome special guest Al Condeluci, a longtime advocate for inclusion. In our conversation, Al highlighted the importance of community connections for care partners of people living with Parkinson's.

Al’s father had Parkinson’s, and Al’s experience as both a family member and a professional in social advocacy brought invaluable insights to our conversation.  

Our trusted panel is led by DPF co-founder Connie Carpenter Phinney, the care partner for her husband Davis. The panel also features two care partners, Gail Gitin and Pat Donahoo. Polly Dawkins, Executive Director of the Davis Phinney Foundation, moderated the meetup. 

If you haven’t already signed up to attend our sessions live, you can do so today. 

MEETUP NOTES

BREATHING AND CENTERING IN THE NEW YEAR

We began our session by grounding ourselves with a calming breathing exercise. Using the box breathing method—inhaling for four counts, holding for four, exhaling for four, and holding again—we centered ourselves in the present moment. Breathwork is such a simple and powerful tool for reducing stress and finding equilibrium.  

ADDRESSING ISOLATION

Al Condeluci opened the discussion by sharing his perspective on isolation. Drawing from his years of experience, Al highlighted the importance of fostering community connections and explained the concept of social capital—the value derived from our relationships.  

Al shared that his father often self-isolated during his Parkinson’s journey, and their family worked hard to keep him engaged. He emphasized that while virtual connections, like this meetup, are valuable, nothing can fully replace the benefits of in-person interaction, including eye contact and shared physical space. Al has written and lectured about loneliness and isolation, including about the biology of loneliness. He described how loneliness could be measured via the UCLA Loneliness scale.  

Regarding isolation, Gail observed, “The best way to care for yourself is to get out with other people and socialize. It’s not just about massages or pampering; it’s about living.”  

OVERCOMING GUILT AND FINDING BALANCE

A recurring theme throughout the discussion was the sense of guilt many care partners feel. This feeling may result from a care partner taking time for themselves, leaving their person with Parkinson’s at home, or even just because of a moment of frustration. On this subject, Gail noted, “You have a choice: you can feel guilty about leaving, or you can come back refreshed and in a better state of mind. Either way, guilt will be there, but one option serves you both better.”  

Some of the thoughtful questions and reflections from those in our live audience included: 

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