Mark Parsons

Mark was just 36 when he suffered from a stroke with a severe bleed on the right of his brain.  He was induced into a coma for five weeks and then had a five-month recovery period in hospital.  Mark then spent the next 7 years transferring between several rehab and care facilities before finally moving to Chaseley, where he has been living for 5 years.

Mark was a CCTV Engineer who, as he describes, had a very active and inquisitive mind that needed to be kept busy and stimulated.   Mark told us he was very much a people person, someone who liked to have chats and discussions with everyone he met and to this day, that has not changed, Mark still makes us all laugh and tells jokes on a daily basis!

One of the lasting effects of Mark’s stroke is paralysis down his left side and he has really appreciated the support he receives at Chaseley, telling us that “One of my biggest challenges is not being able to walk, but the team here help me into my standing frame so I can transfer into my electric wheelchair”.

Mark really enjoys the sociable side of life at Chaseley and quite often participates in the daily activities that are available, he especially loves the cooking sessions and interactive theme days that take place.   Prior to Covid-19 Mark enjoyed having visits from his friends and would often go out into the local community to meet people, shop and watch shows.  These days however, Mark is often found in the CasBar chatting with other residents and enjoys just chatting with people, he tells us that the team also help him “intellectually with crosswords and quizzes”, which really helps with his brain function.

Mark told us that following his stroke he lost his girlfriend, his job and his home, which was really hard to cope with, he has since become a Christian and this has helped him on his journey of recovery.

Mark suggests to anyone considering a move to Chaseley to simply “come along, it’s good and I have all the support I need.  Chaseley is a great community to live in”.