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Information on life-changing injuries
People we spoke with commonly had little or no previous experience or understanding of life-changing injuries before their injury and so entered a world that...
People advised others to make a plan, to think about the dreams they wanted to achieve and to set some goals. It is important to focus on the things you can do after injury, rather than the things that you can’t. Simon B, who broke his neck when he was 25 years old, said ‘if you there’s things you can’t do, find new things to do.’ Several people advised others to try to get back to the workplace, or to volunteer and to pursue something that they are good at. You shouldn’t be afraid to admit that things are difficult and you can rely on friends, family and charities for support, but you need to work hard to ensure that your relationships don’t suffer. Nick Z said, ‘To start with you will be thinking more about the impact on your physical abilities, but I would encourage you to spend as much if not more time thinking about the impact on relationships’.
The carers we spoke to encouraged people to take each day as it comes, to have hope, and not to worry too much about the future. After injury when relative’s conditions became stable, carers of people who had brain injuries advised others to start thinking about helping them with their recovery.
People valued the physiotherapy support they had after injury and some said that they wished more of it could be available. Other areas of support were suggested: Louise thought there needed to be more emotional support for people with a burns injury. She felt very isolated during her recovery and wanted health and social care staff to think about the social side of life-changing injuries. Barrie recommended more knowledge and awareness of what’s available for people when they come out of hospital. Jack said that more advice on the day-day impact of having a limb amputated would be useful. Christopher suggested that there is a need for a benchmarking exercise where a marker is set for patients to work towards in their rehabilitation.
Simon A said he would like the public to be more open-minded. He said, ‘The world’s a better place by being this ridiculously rich tapestry that it is. Just be more open-minded’. Jamie wanted other people to learn from his experience and take more time and care on the road.
People we spoke with commonly had little or no previous experience or understanding of life-changing injuries before their injury and so entered a world that...