Parkinson's Disease

Vincent, a retired dental surgeon and lifelong adventurer, once spent his days rock climbing, traveling, and lecturing around the world. Even into his late 70s, he remained proud, independent, and full of curiosity. But after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, Vincent’s world began to shrink.

The symptoms were slow and cruel—stooped posture, a shuffling gait, and the dreaded freezing episodes that made even walking to the front door feel impossible. Everyday tasks, like getting up from the sofa or navigating a few steps to the garden, became daunting. After a fall at home and a noticeable decline in confidence, Vincent’s independence seemed to be slipping away.

He had moved to a new town to be closer to family, but unfamiliar surroundings and physical challenges left him isolated and frustrated. His loved ones stepped in to help—but what he really wanted was to do things for himself again.

That’s when an occupational therapist introduced him to the Rollz Motion Rhythm, a rollator specifically designed for people with Parkinson’s.

This wasn’t an ordinary walker. With a built-in laser line, rhythmic sound cues, and subtle handle vibrations, the device provides visual, auditory, and tactile prompts to support smoother walking. These features target Parkinson’s-related gait issues like freezing and shuffling.

When Vincent first tried it, the impact was immediate. The laser helped guide his steps, the metronome sound created a steady rhythm, and the vibrations gave discreet sensory feedback that helped him stay balanced and confident. His posture improved. His stride lengthened. He stood taller.

According to his son, “I haven’t seen my dad stand like that in 10 years.”

The transformation went beyond physical movement. With added home modifications like a ramp, step lift, and a rising armchair, Vincent began to reclaim his daily life. He started walking around his home unaided, ventured back into his garden, and even began talking about taking the bus to explore the area.

Most importantly, the anxiety-fueled cycle of inactivity and isolation was broken. The rollator gave him back more than mobility—it gave him a renewed sense of self.

For people living with Parkinson’s, and for families watching a loved one slowly retreat from life, Vincent’s story is a reminder: sometimes, the right tools can reignite confidence, restore freedom, and change a life.

#rollz #mobility #Mobilityaid #ParkinsonsDisease #innovation #parkinsonrollator

To help encourage us to remember that we are more than our chronic illness(es) or any diagnosis, and to remember that we Are building friendships right here -

In the spirit of the current, Biggest, Buzz-Worthy, Trending Topic, MOVIES awards show airing Sunday night the Oscars🙌🤩🏆🍿🎥🎬

Let’s use this post all weekend Starting Now And And Into Next Week to connect through the art, power, storytelling, …and your particular views on any film. I will keep it as wide-ranged as that for a fun, varied, connecting conversation back and forth below 👇 in the comments!

#Loneliness #Grief #DistractMe #FamilyAndFriends #Relationships #IfYouFeelHopeless #Depression #Anxiety #GeneralizedAnxietyDisorder #MajorDepressiveDisorder #DepressiveDisorders #PersistentDepressiveDisorder #MoodDisorders #MDD #Agoraphobia #MentalHealth #MightyTogether #ADHD #BorderlinePersonalityDisorder #ChronicIllness #IntellectualDisability #AutismSpectrumDisorder #MyCondition #RareDisease #ChronicPain #ChronicFatigueSyndrome #ChronicFatigue #Migraine #Selfharm #Selfcare #Mindfulness #SuicidalIdeation #SuicidalThoughts #SuicideAttemptSurvivors #Suicide #ComplexPosttraumaticStressDisorder #PTSD #MyalgicEncephalomyelitis #PostTraumaticStressDisorder #PsoriaticArthritis #Trauma #Cancers #AlopeciaAreata #AuditoryProcessingDisorder #CerebralPalsy #BipolarDisorder #DownSyndrome #Addiction #Lupus #HashimotosThyroiditis #AutoimmuneThyroidDisease #BipolarDepression #HypothyroidismUnderactiveThyroidDisease #ObsessiveCompulsiveDisorder #AutonomicDysfunction #ParkinsonsDisease #PosturalOrthostaticTachycardiaSyndrome #POTS #EatingDisorders #AnorexiaNervosa #BingeEatingDisorder #Dyspraxia #BrainInjury #MotorDisorders

I hope you all have been having a great new year, and are staying warm and safe. Honestly, I myself have been struggling and I wanted to share what I wrote about my current experiences living with bipolar disorder. I will share more about the other challenges I have been dealing with over the last year that have all combined to feed into my emotional & mental struggles in a future post.

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There is a roulette wheel in my head…

…and sometimes it just won't stop.
The ball keeps spinning, never settling in a slot
I look to my right and see black
To the left I see red yet I’m stuck on the track

I feel like a hamster spinning in his wheel
For hours into the night until I can't feel
My legs should have been tired hours ago
Yet I didn’t notice anything so lost in the flow

I'm trapped on a spinning merry-go-round
Going up and down to the cacophony of sound
My horse hugs the pole, and I can't feel my butt
It doesn't seem to matter as I am stuck in a rut

I'm on a race track speeding round and round
Hurtling at high speed, almost off the ground
As I'm going so fast totally out of control
No brakes, no down shift, just on a crazy roll

I'm in suburbia driving in circles on a roundabout
Yet I can't see the exits and make a turn out
Circling around, my steering wheel is stuck
I speed up, I get dizzy, this is just my luck

It seems in these cycles I’m always alone
I hide, avoid and ignore, never pick up the phone
It is a lonely place yet my history proceeds me
I'm so ashamed to be weak and desperately needy

Then there are the mountains to climb
I hike really fast I'm having a great time
I sprint to the top emboldened & inspired
With unlimited energy when I'm totally wired

Yet what goes up must come down
And I tumble and tumble smack to the ground
There is absolutely nothing left of that energy
Its suddenly pitch black dark  and I can't see

There are poker games near the roulette wheel
I'm a winner, it's destined, I’m a real big deal
Bid big on a pot the chips are all mine
Then I go all in and moments later I find

My hands are empty, I completely lost it all
My savings are gone as I took the fall
I slink out the door can't even afford a ride
Won't call a friend, and break through my pride

The hamster on the wheel has fallen to the ground
Can't get up although I ‘m desperate to be found
Once again on the ground I just can't move
Lost my momentum and fallen out of the groove

The park has way since closed and the merry-go-round is shuttered dark
Yet lying at the foot of my horse
I lay lost without a hint of my spark
I noticed the the paint is cracked & faded
It shows its age, is it all overrated?

My cars battery died in the middle of the track
Under the hood my wiring was way out of whack
Can't start up again as I’m just stuck in place
It looks like its destined I’ll never finish the race

I often wonder when will these cycles ever end
Will I ever find balance or just have to pretend
Like I have for decades… everything is just fine
While I’m shut down, lonely and lost in my mind

I need to embrace support available to me
Ditch the shame & pride so others can see
What's really going on as I struggle inside
It certainly has not helped me to run and hide

Can I accept support, admit when I'm so down
Or I’m high in the clouds lost to be found
I don't need sudden riches, today I ‘ll just survive
I've found the glory & blessing that I'm still alive!

Moshe Mark Adler
21st February 2025

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(the photo is mine - I have been exploring nature photography)

#MentalHealth #Depression #Anxiety #Bipolar2 #Bipolar1 #BipolarDepression #BipolarDisorder #ADHD #ObsessiveCompulsiveDisorder #Addiction #AddictionRecovery #PTSD #ChronicIllness #ChronicPain #SocialAnxiety #Disability #Grief #DistractMe #CheckInWithMe #ParkinsonsDisease #Headache #Migraine #IfYouFeelHopeless #Trauma #COVID19 #InsideTheMighty #MightyTogether