As far as support goes, I've had somebody come to my house to teach me about, to help me with, the swallowing issues I have. In terms of accessing support, within our communities it's pretty good, really. We can get in contact with the proper channels. They'll come out and assess what needs I have, whether it be handrails or things like that. That's there, and they will help with that.
I guess the problem I have with things like that is that when you go in, or you call them and they come out, they look at you as if to say, “Right: do you really need this?”; it's that type of attitude. It's still that horrible thing where they think you're not the proper age to have this kind of disease. That's the biggest problem.
In terms of support through the family and that, the family is fantastic. After I was diagnosed I didn't go to any group meeting or anything--I was told not to--but my wife went to some of the group meetings. She learned a lot through those group meetings, through Parkinson Society Canada, Barrie chapter. She learned a lot, and she actually convinced me to go, finally, and I did a lot with it. I was vice-president of the chapter for a while. We did a lot of things. I had to leave it because of the heath issues I was having, but the chapter is very supportive. Parkinson Society Canada is very supportive of what happens within their chapters. They have set up caregiver support too.