Parkinsons

Mobility aids for Parkinson's disease

Parkinson's affects walking in ways a standard rollator was never designed for. Three problems come up again and again at our fittings, and each has a different answer.

Freezing of gait

The feet stop at a doorway, at a turn in the kitchen, at the kerb outside the church, and willing them forward does not work. What does work is something external to step to. The Rollz Motion Rhythm builds three cues into the frame — a green laser line on the floor, a metronome, and vibration in the handles — each adjustable, and variable so the brain does not learn to ignore them.

Festination

Steps speed up and shorten until you are chasing your own centre of gravity, and an ordinary rollator rewards that by rolling faster the harder you chase it. The Saljol Carbon with drag brakes holds a steady, adjustable resistance on the rear wheels, so the frame cannot run away downhill.

A forward lean

Posture tends forward, and it gets worse when the handles are ahead of you. The byACRE Carbon Ultralight has forward-facing handles that draw the frame towards you instead, and at 4.8kg it is light enough to still be lifted into a boot on a bad day.

When the day outlasts the legs

On/off fluctuations make distance unpredictable. The Rollz Motion 2.1 converts from rollator to attendant-pushed wheelchair in seconds, so a trip does not have to be abandoned at the far end of a shopping centre.

Most falls happen at home, so it is worth thinking about indoors separately — the Saljol Indoor Rollator fits through almost any door at 51cm and can be pushed along while seated.

Which one is right depends on which of these is actually your difficulty. That is what the fitting is for: we bring two or three, watch you walk, and set them to you. Book an appointment at our Sandyford showroom, or at home if you would rather. We work alongside OTs and physiotherapists across Ireland and are happy to fit with yours present.