Tanya’s* history
Tanya is a woman who, in her forties, suffered a brain injury. The impact was life-changing and left her unable to walk, with poor memory and confusion. After a period of stabilisation in hospital, she was referred to Cygnet Newham House to support her to continue her rehabilitation and re-learn the skills she would need to return to independent living.
When she came to us
“On arrival at Cygnet Newham House, I was really frightened” Tanya recalls, “I didn’t know what to expect or what the people were going to be like, and I was still confused about where I was and why I was there.” Tanya was not mobile and so required staff support to tend to her personal care. The confusion and memory problems impacted Tanya’s confidence and motivation
Tanya’s Care
The team spent a lot of time getting to know Tanya and helping her to settle in to Cygnet Newham House. They encouraged her to decorate her bedroom how she wanted it, and that made her feel a little more at home.
OT (Occupational Therapy), Psychology and SLT (Speech and Language Therapy) worked together to provide orientation resources to support Tanya to feel safe and understand where she was and why she was there. The entire team then applied these techniques on a daily basis. In collaboration with Tanya, they worked on a care plan that would help her to achieve her goals.
She had regular input from the in-house physiotherapist and OT, who focussed on supporting Tanya to be able to utilise her foot splint and build her mobility. They also helped to develop skills in ADL’s (Activities of Daily Living) for example independence with personal care, getting up and dressed and showered, and completing day-to-day tasks such as making a hot drink or breakfast and accessing the community to do shopping.
The activity coordinator, Mandy, made sure to understand Tanya’s likes, dislikes and hobbies to tailor an activity plan to be fun and engaging. Prior to her injuries, Tanya had been a florist and so Mandy was able to incorporate floristry sessions which helped Tanya to recover some lost skills.
Reflecting on these sessions, Tanya said “I’m really proud of all the work I have done with Mandy, the sewing and cooking, but especially the flower arranging.”
Through Tanya’s hard work and motivation, with support from the team, she began taking daily walks outside the service, just a short distance at first and gradually lengthening until she was able to go shopping, visit local garden centres and enjoy a coffee in town.
Tanya was supported to stay in touch with her family, who also played a big part in her rehabilitation.
Today
Today Tanya is feeling positive about the future, she is looking forward to moving into her own flat and has made some cushions to take with her. She now enjoys activities again – board games and puzzles in particular, and is able to cook her own meals and tend to her self-care.
Tanya is now able to walk unaided for short distances and has a walker and a wheelchair for when she wants to access the community, or for longer distances.
The team at Cygnet Newham House noted the massive improvement in Tanya, from not recognising her surroundings or being able to walk, to being able to cook meals independently and enjoy daily walks. When asked about her advice for others, Tanya said “Stay strong and you will get there. It can be a long road, but it’s a good road to be on – you will come out of the other side.”
*Name has been changed to protect her identity.
