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Dear Martha, It sounds like you and your family are having more than your share of challenges. You give a good deal of information in your post but there are some things that need to be addressed. First: Have you attempted to get help from your county services agencies? Most counties have services for the elderly and disabled. That is where I would look first for assistance. I have not dealt with these agencies myself but they normally provide such things as visiting nurses, aides, therapists, meals-on-wheels, people to come in to tidy up the house, etc. Your doctor should have directed you to these services. Look in your phone book for your local/county health services agencies and call them today. If you can't get the information you need over the phone, call your doctor's office and have them direct you to the right people. Second: A support group can be a good thing but in your mother's state of mind and body (depression, stress, pain and lack of physical ability) it can also be an intimidating thing. The chemicals being lost in Parkinson's disease ( seratonin, and L-Dopa, etc) are chemicals that provide us with motivation, and that "feel good" sensation. A shortage of these chemicals can lead to such problems as social anxiety and withdrawal which make facing a group of strangers especially difficult. Is your mother taking any drug for depression/anxiety? Her doctor should be looking into this and perhaps prescribing something to address these problems. The pleasure and stimulation of participating in a social setting such as a support group could be a catalyst for breaking the chain of depression and anxiety and could relieve the need for anti-depressants. Getting your mother to attend her first session is the first step. After finding a group in your area, I would approach your mother with this scenario: Ask her to agree to attend a meeting with the understanding that you (and whomever else can lend support) will attend with her. On the day of the meeting you will all get ready to go in plenty of time to get out the door without rushing. You will help her in any way that she needs in getting ready to go...whether that means helping her with her hair, getting dressed, or simply leaving her alone and keeping everything as free of stress and hurry as you can manage. If your mother is relaxed, unhurried and calm when she arrives at the meeting, chances are better that she will have an enjoyable and stimulating experience and making it more likely that she will want to participate in future group sessions. To find a support group in your area you can contact the National Parkinson's Foundation web site or call them at 1-800-327-4545. Hope this helps. Dee ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn