00:00Parkinson's currently has no cure. The only way to slow its symptoms is exercise, but
00:05groups across the country are forming to make sure that those who suffer from the condition
00:09aren't suffering alone. One group in Dartford, started by Parkinson's
00:14UK, is run by volunteers who give up their time to create a space where those with Parkinson's
00:19can talk about their mental health and how they've been coping.
00:22So I think it builds a community and support network, people with Parkinson's, so you
00:27know you could be diagnosed and that's it. You don't know the implications, the symptoms
00:31or what you need to do to help. Some people do get a lot of support via the NHS, but
00:36Parkinson's
00:37UK is the place to go to get that support. This cafe, you meet people, you don't even
00:43have to talk about Parkinson's, you can talk about football, it doesn't matter, but it's
00:47just meeting people who are going through something similar to you and you kind of get each other
00:51and it's a safe place. If you're having a moment here and you're not feeling great, we're all
00:55here, we're all looking out for each other.
00:58Parkinson's has many symptoms, whether it's hand tremors or a loss of your sense of smell
01:02or even insomnia, these vary from person to person. But there's one symptom that carries
01:06across for most of Parkinson's sufferers and that's loneliness. And while groups like the
01:10one here at Fairfield Leisure do exist and do help with that loneliness problem, issues
01:16throughout the health service mean that Parkinson's sufferers can't always access the support that
01:21they need. What we're seeing across the country is that, you know, that healthcare is not the
01:27standard that it should be. And at Parkinson's UK are doing a lot of campaigning to improve
01:32the conditions and, you know, what people can do locally is write to your MP. So really, you know,
01:39invite, we invited MPs to meetings so they can talk to people with Parkinson's to find out how
01:44this lack of, you know, healthcare support is affecting them.
01:47A spokesperson with the Department of Health and Social Care said,
01:51we're working together with the NHS and patient groups to improve care for people with Parkinson's.
01:55This includes expanding the workforce, improving training for healthcare staff,
01:59funding research into new treatments and using the latest technology to help people maintain
02:03their independence for longer. The group in Dartford hosts a range of people,
02:07from those who've had the condition for almost a decade to those who've been diagnosed only months ago.
02:12It's so friendly. Every time you come, especially to this one, there's different people every time.
02:20Yeah, I think it's important. You need to get out and talk and share things and things like your concerns.
02:25Mainly just meeting other people with the same problems. But yeah, I enjoy it.
02:35As the number of those diagnosed continues to rise, it's volunteers and the efforts they make
02:40that ensure people with Parkinson's aren't alone. Finn McDermid for KMTV in Dartford.
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