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Getting home

Getting home is a huge step on the road to recovery. While it is often an enormous relief to be back home, some may find the first few weeks a bit of an emotional rollercoaster in terms of readjusting to everyday life. In this section, we've provided some general information and advice on the common physical and psychological issues you might face,what you can do to help the recovery process along, and the types of help that might be available to you and your family after you get home.We've also included a few short pieces on other people's experience, which we hope you will find helpful.

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Web Link: Self-management help

This link will take you a website with Self-amanagement advice. Self management is about people living with long term conditions being in ‘the driving seat’. It supports people to live their lives better, on their terms.

Article: Short term memory loss

Some patients experience a range of short-term memory problems after Intensive Care. This is sometimes called "cognitive impairment" or "cognitive dysfunction". This may mean that you have problems remembering things, you may find that you can't concentrate for long periods, or you may find that your attention span is shorter than it was before.Some people also have difficulty working out problems or organising complex tasks. This may mean, for example, that you...

Web Link: Shoulder pain, and exercises that might help

It's not uncommon to experience some shoulder stiffness, and sometimes pain, after Intensive Care. This is often because the shoulder joint has not been moving much while you or your family member was very unwell, so the joint becomes stiff. This link will take you to an NHS webpage, with some simple exercises that you can try.

Web Link: Shoulder problems: "brachial plexus" injury

Sometimes, and particularly if you or your family member was nursed lying on their front (in the "prone" position), a shoulder injury known as "brachial plexus injury" can occur. This happens when nerves through the shoulder joint become overstretched or compressed. It may cause: Pain, that is typically described as "electric shocks" or burning Loss of movement in different parts of your arm Changes in sensation to your arm e.g. numbness or tingling Dry...

Article: Skin and nail changes

Dry or itchy skin Patients sometimes experience dry, itchy or sensitive skin in the weeks and months after Intensive Care. Others have told us that using moisturiser can help.Ask your GP or pharmacist for their advice on which products to try. Scarring You may notice a number of scars where you've had lines or tubes inserted, usually in the hands, wrists, arms, neck, groin, chest or near your collarbone. You may also have a scar from any operations you may have had. Although some...

Article: Sleep disturbances

Feeling tired is very common It’s very common to have problems sleeping in the first few weeks after you get home, even though you may feel very tired. You might struggle to get to sleep, have broken sleep, sleep for much longer than usual or sleep at different times to which you normally would (including napping during the day). Why can't I sleep? It's likely that many people suffer from sleep deprivation during their time in hospital. Some people wake several...

Web Link: Sleeping better

This link will take you to the Patient website and their page on insomnia (poor sleep). They offer common sense information and advice on sleeping better, which you can download or print off, if you like.

Web Link: Sleeping better

Many patients struggle with sleep after spending time in Intensive Care. This link will take you to the UK's Sleep Council. They provide advice on preparing for a good night's sleep, a range of tools that you can use, including a sleep calculator, plan and diary and "nodcasts" to help you drift off. There is also a sleep hub, with information and advice on common sleep disorders, including insomina and vivid dreams.

Web Link: Speech and Language Therapy (find a registered (private) therapist near you)

This link will take you to the website of the Association of Speech and Language Therapists in Independent Practice. This means that you would have to pay for their help yourself. All their therapists are fully qualified and registered with their professional groups. You can find a private therapist in your area by typing in your postcode, and the type of problem you need help with.

Web Link: Support at home (British Red Cross)

This link will take you to the British Red Cross site. The Red Cross helps thousands of people following a short stay in hospital and prevents unnecessary hospital admissions by providing extra support and care at home. The support offered by Red Cross volunteers can smooth the process of settling back into a normal routine and enable people to regain their confidence and independence. The service can include; rebuilding confidence, collecting prescriptions, offering...

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Getting home

You have 121 results.