Support Groups

Sometimes what we need most is simply to be with other people who understand what we’re going through. At PSA’s monthly support groups, stroke survivors and caregivers meet others and find practical information, inspiration, and support. Support groups are offered free of charge unless otherwise noted on the listing. Time since stroke and attendance at the support groups meetings varies.

Currently, there are support groups in northern California in Burlingame, Castro Valley, Los Gatos, Monterey, Oakland, Palo Alto, San Jose, San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara.

For questions please send an email us at support@psastroke.org or call PSA at 650-565-8485.

If you would like to receive our monthly e-newsletter and reminders sign up here, or email us at support@psastroke.org. You can also visit us on Facebook for the latest news and updates.

If you would like to participate in a clinical trial visit http://clinicaltrials.gov.

If you are looking for stroke support groups in other areas, click here.

Burlingame

Post-Stroke Support Group – Meets last Tuesday of the month from 2:45 pm – 4:00 pm. 

• Location: Mills-Peninsula Hospital, 1501 Trousdale Drive, Auditorium #2, Burlingame, CA
  
• Facilitators: Deborah Flaherty, MA; Lori Tam Lee, OTR/L

There is free valet parking or Redi Wheels drops off right in front.

Castro Valley

Patient and Caregiver Group – Meets on the 4th Tuesday of the month from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm.

• Location: Eden Medical Center Medical Office Building Conference Center, 20101 Lake Chabot Road, 2nd Floor, Castro Valley, CA

Free support and educational group for stroke survivors and caregivers in the community. For more information, contact Eden Medical Center Outpatient Rehabilitation Facility (510) 727-2800.

Los Gatos

Different Strokes for Different Folks – Meets on the 2nd Tuesday of the month from 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm.

• Location: Mission Oaks Campus of Good Samaritan Hospital, Cafeteria Conference Room, 15891 Los Gatos-Almaden Road, Los Gatos, CA
• Facilitators: Brandy Dickenson, SLP; Naz Motayar, Neuropsychologist

Chit-Chat Aphasia Group – Meets on the 1st Wednesday of the month at 3:00 pm. 

• Location: Mission Oaks Campus of Good Samaritan Hospital, Cafeteria Conference Room, 15891 Los Gatos-Almaden Road, Los Gatos, CA
• Facilitator: Kristine Kidger, CCC SLP

Registration is required. Email: Kristine.Kidger@hcahealthcare.com. For questions call Outpatient Rehabilitation Department @ 408-559-2377.

Young Adult Stroke Survivor Group – Meets on the 3rd Thursday of the month from 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm.

• Location: Mission Oaks Campus of Good Samaritan Hospital, Cafeteria Conference Room, 15891 Los Gatos-Almaden Road, Los Gatos, CA
• Facilitator: Clint Hopwood, OT/L, c/NDT

Monterey

Living with Stroke Support Group – Meets on the second Thursday of the month from 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm. 

• Location: Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit Dining Room, 23625 Holman Highway, Monterey, CA
  
• Facilitators:  Laddie Erbele, SLP; Liz Santiago, LCSW

Offers support and information for stroke survivors and caregivers. Meetings are led by stroke care experts from Community Hospital and include discussion on challenges that may follow a stroke and solutions for dealing with them.

Oakland

Post-Stroke Support Group – Meets on the 1st Tuesday of the month from 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm 

• Location:  Alta Bates Summit Medical Center; Family Resource Center; 3100 Summit Street; Oakland, CA
• Facilitator: Shefali Patel, Ph.D., Neuropsychologist

No advance reservations required, drop in any time. Friends and family are welcome to attend too. For directions or more information, call: (510) 869-6308.

Palo Alto

Stanford Stroke Support Group –  Meets on the Second Thursday of the month from 12:30pm – 2:00pm

• Location: Stanford Neuroscience Health Center, 213 Quarry Road, Basement Floor conference room 0511, Palo Alto, CA
• See Stanford website for detailed agenda: www.stanfordhealthcare.org/nscp

Please join us for a friendly and supportive environment for stroke patients, their family and caregivers. This support group will have guest speakers every other month, focusing on a holistic approach to provide wellness to the stroke community. Open to the community. If you plan to attend, please register by calling 650.721.8500.

Stanford Speech Communication Group – Meets on the 3rd Monday of the month from 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm (unless it’s a holiday). 

• Location: Stanford Hospital, Rehabilitation Department, 3rd Floor, Room H3150.
• Sandra Deane MS, CCC-SLP, Coordinator

Designed for people who have experienced a stroke or other neurological impairments. Provides the opportunity to practice and develop communication and cognitive skills within a relaxed yet structured setting along with the support of experienced speech language pathologists. Open to the community. Refreshments provided. Registration required. For more information or to register, please call 650.725.5108 or email sdeane@stanfordhealthcare.org.

Women’s Post-Stroke Support Group  – Meets on the last Friday of the month from 10:30am to 12:00pm. 

This group is open to women of all ages who are stroke survivors. In an informal setting, women gather to talk, share, and find strength from each other while dealing with the aftermath of stroke.

• Palo Alto Medical Foundation, 795 El Camino Real Palo Alto, Jamplis Building, 3rd Floor, Conference Room BC 
• Facilitator: Rinku Lalchandani, PhD ABPP; Pamela Davis MA OTR/L

San Francisco

San Francisco Stroke Support Group – Meets on the third Thursday of the month from 4:30pm – 6:00pm

• Location: Kaiser Permanente French Campus, 450 6th Ave, 1st Floor Board Room, San Francisco, CA 94118

Whether you are a stroke survivor or caregiver of a stroke survivor, this support group provides a forum for learning, listening and socializing with others while learning cutting edge tools for recovery. Open to Kaiser and non-Kaiser patients. For more information or to RSVP, please contact sarah.e.mena@kp.org, call (415) 830-7669

San Jose

A Time to Talk – Meets on the 2nd Wednesday of the month from from 3:30 pm – 5:00 pm.

• Location: O’Connor Hospital, Cafeteria Meeting Room A and B, 2105 Forest Avenue, San Jose, CA
• Facilitators: Laleh Ebadat, PT; Craig Moloney, OT

Post-Stroke Stroke Support Group – Meets on the 3rd Wednesday of the month from 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm.  

• Location: Regional Medical Center, 225 N. Jackson Ave., Tower III, Peppertree Room, Basement, San Jose, CA
• Facilitator: Colleen Kichula, MA CCC SLP

Post-Stroke Support Group – Meets on the 2nd Wednesday of the month from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm.

• Location: Santa Clara Valley Medical Center – Sobrato Pavilion, 4 Acute Rehab Unit, patients lounge (4th floor), 751 South Bascom Avenue, San Jose, CA.

Survivors and families welcomed. For more information, please call Robert Medel at
408-885-2397.

San Mateo

Aphasia Support Group – Meets weekly on Wednesdays from 1:00 pm to 1:45 pm. 

• Location: Mills Health Center, 100 S. San Mateo Dr., San Mateo, CA 94401
• Facilitator: Michelle Tapalla, SLP.  Call 650.696-4883 for screening and current room information.

This supportive, dynamic environment provides people who are recovering from aphasia with an opportunity to practice language expression, functional communication, and word finding strategies.  Group discussions and communication activities are facilitated. Screening is required. Cost: $5 per session.

Santa Clara

Post-Stroke Support Group – Meets on the 2nd Thursday of the month from 3:00pm – 4:15pm.  NOTE: The group will not meet in April.

• Location: Kaiser Permanente, Santa Clara Medical Office Building, 710 Lawrence Expressway, Santa Clara, Conference Room A3-A4
• Facilitators: Juliana Wall, OTR/L and other Neuro-rehab team members

This group is currently open to Kaiser patients.