Occupational Therapy News OTNews March 2020 | Página 34

FEATURE REHABILITATION
As RCOT launches a new
campaign, Andrew Mickel
speaks with members and
service users about
the importance of
community rehabilitation
O
ccupational therapists help a lot of
people to return home after difficult
stays in hospital, but the journey facing
Sara Jones was particularly tough.
Sara lives in Llansilin, a small village in Powys,
with her partner Malcolm and two young children,
Erin and Ben. She fell while renovating her house
and broke her ankle at home, causing a blood clot
that went into her lungs and triggered three cardiac
arrests. The result was a hypoxic-ischemic brain
injury; she woke up in hospital unable to walk, see or
swallow.
Sara was initially admitted to the Royal Shrewsbury
Hospital, then transferred to the Walton Centre for
Rehabilitation, where she stayed for approximately
nine months (she describes the team there as
‘absolutely brilliant’).
During her rehabilitation her functional ability
improved enough for discharge home in January
2018, but she struggled with vision, mobilising and
fatigue, and she faced the daunting job of relearning
skills and settling back into family life.
‘I just wanted to get home, really,’ she says. ‘I
just thought if I came home that life would return to
normal. I don’t think it will ever return to normal, but it
is getting better and better.’
34 OTnews March 2020
Sara (right) with her family
As intimidating as the discharge was, Sara did not
have to face it alone. Occupational therapist Nerys
Brown and physiotherapist Caroline Randles from
the community neuro rehab team in Powys Teaching
Health Board have supported her every step of the
way.
They helped Sara to overcome physical issues
and provided equipment such as ramps, sticks and
walking poles as her mobility improved. Nerys also
supported with fatigue management throughout the
rehab process.
Says Sara: ‘I had lost the memory of practical
things, such as how to use the washing machine
and the dishwasher, so Nerys helped with that, and
eventually helped with the cooking too.