Happily, my father is out of intensive care and progressing well enough to go to acute rehab. We feel very blessed and I’m very grateful to have found this site- it was extremely helpful when we were going through the worst of it.
Obviously we will communicate with the professionals and do as they recommend, but I was just wondering from the perspective of those who have been through intensive care and brain trauma: any items you’d recommend us buying for my father? Things that helped you or made your loved one more comfortable at home as they continued to recover?
My father so far is able to walk with assistance and is alert, though confused, if that information helps.
Thank you in advance!
Written by
BHDFlower
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Thank you so much! Those are great suggestions! He’s just starting out rehab, but I’m trying to get a list together so I don’t forget what we can buy for him.
All my best to you and your dad! I’m very glad things worked out for you.
We also got a raised toilet seat, a bath board and walking stick from the occupational therapist which he still uses now and have been vital for him. My mum still assists him in the bath but he loves it lol!
He’s been home just over three weeks and has made such great progress. It’s the beginning and a long road, but we are grateful and thankful 💛
Fantastic news I am so pleased for your father and his family ,unfortunately I never had that miracle with my wife but hope everybody else is luckier than we were xx
First of all listen to him he may not want to ask - for all sorts of reasons - and don’t forget yourselves as you have all been through the mill.
Don’t forget that OT will have all sorts of things they can lend, they may want to visit to Do an assessment. But in our home I have a perching stool and a chair for the shower. For years I put off having a grab rail in the shower it would have been the pits but OT arranged for one to be delivered AND fitted.
I should have said I am 72 and lost a tremendous amount of weight. So with that comes a warning I continued to lose weight once home and now with exercise with ICUstepschester I am putting on weight.
So underpants, trousers and or shorts but don’t go mad until his weight has settled and I prefer bright colours. We had to do a second shop. I wasn’t so worried about tops but will do something when I really know my weight is settled.
Getting motivated at the start of the day is important so I need to make an effort rather than shop around all day.
Thank you very much for your reply! This are great suggestions! My poor father has lost so much weight during his time in the hospital! Very distressing. He hardly weighs much more than me now.
We’ve purchased some new shoes for him, and clothes are definitely on our list. The grab rail is a great idea, too! I’m very nervous about him in the shower or on stairs now.
It sounds, at least, like we’ll have some good support from the professionals. We’re very ready to help him through this.
My wife closely supervised me in the bathroom but since in particular the grab handle being fitted she has gradually released her grip and now just listens for the slightest noise. But we do need some freedom!!!
That’s wonderful news. OT gave us raises toilet seats and seat for shower and washing, much needed. I bought these as lying flat is not great for their lungs and they will find everything low compared to hospital. The memory foam cushion we take every where - in the car, hospital appointments and my husband finds siting uncomfortable with no meat on him. The wedge we use one way for sleeping and turn it the other way for sitting up in bed:
What a wonderful suggestion, thank you! I bet one of these will be in our future! My father also lost a lot of weight, so I imagine once he returns home the hardwood chairs will be uncomfortable.
Oh I also bought some diabetic socks, as his feet were /are swollen and he struggles with putting on his normal socks even though he has lost so much weight and isn't diabetic. The tops on them are quite stretchy .
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