Parkinson's support group raising awareness in Port Stephens

Bob Crampton, the Port Stephens Parkinson's Support Group Leader, said he was frustrated to hear that in this day and age there were still people living with conditions such as Parkinson's, cancer, dementia, diabetics and others who could be suffering in silence.

"Support groups are such an important part of the daily living of sufferers and their loved ones by raising awareness in the local community and helping to work together in these specialised health areas," Mr Crampton said.

"In a regional area like Port Stephens we do have excellent medical services but we need to travel to Newcastle, Maitland and Sydney for specialist services, so having a local support group helps fill a need for more readily available information."

Mr Crampton said that there was also a responsibility on the medical profession to ensure that patients and their loved ones were made aware of the health benefits of support groups.

"There has been a Parkinson's Support Group in Port Stephens for more than 20 years, but we never seem to receive any referrals from doctors or other medical professions," said Mr Crampton, whose wife was diagnosed with Parkinson's 16 years ago and the couple have been members at the Port Stephens group (formerly known as Tomaree) for six years.

"There are estimated to be 280 people living with Parkinson's in the Port Stephens area, yet we only have 35 members in our support group. When you add the impact the condition has on family members and loved, ones, the numbers are quite significant."

Mr Crampton said that Parkinson's NSW had stated that people living with Parkinson's who join a support group have better outcomes.

"Last September I wrote to more than 20 Port Stephens medical practices and allied services and did not get a single response. How do we get the message across to Parkinson's sufferers, their family and carers that being involved with a support group will have many positive benefits if we do not get some help from the medical profession?"

In his letter to the practices, Mr Crampton said that it was his intention to create a strong relationship between the support group and medical fraternity.

"The support group may be of help to people coping with this neurological syndrome and to enhance their lives by providing information to share their feelings and experiences with others who understand their situation," the letter stated.

Mr Crampton has previously advocated for the more education and awareness around support groups.

"Some of the many benefits they provide include getting information on new developments, appropriate exercise programs, improved understanding of the condition, medication requirements, learning how others cope, encourage people to socialise, providing support to carers and making new friends."

The Port Stephens Parkinson's support group meets on the third Thursday of each month from 1.30-3pm in the Waratah Room of the Tomaree Neighbourhood Centre.

"Each week we have a guest speaker and on March 17 it will be Jo-anne Reeve, CEO from Parkinson's NSW. Next month (April 21) we are hoping to have a doctor as guest speaker."

A carers coffee morning is held on the first Tuesday of each month from 10am.

Mr Crampton said that COVID had disrupted a number of the meetings over the past two years, as well as the group's exercise program.

"The COVID restrictions did severely impact on us but we are back up and running and hoping to spread the word about the benefits of joining a support group."

For more information on Parkinson's, interested persons can email the group at portstephensparkinsonssg1@gmail.com.

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