There are no guarantees in life, which means your loved one could go from being perfectly able-bodied to seriously injured between one moment and the next. They may recover, but there is a chance they may face a disability for the rest of their life. Helping through the transition period of their recovery in either way is the best way that you can be there for them, especially if you are the obvious choice of carer.
Supporting a loved one after a serious injury will come in many different forms, and what you do will depend entirely on your loved one and how they are processing their accident. To cover all of your bases, however, you will need to be prepared to do the following laid out below.
Know What to Expect Emotionally
You can follow a doctor’s advice when it comes to helping your loved one recover physically, but the emotional and mental trauma is often harder to predict. Read up on what you can expect, and go with the flow. There is no one way your loved one needs to react to their injury, so take their cues and adjust how you care for them from there.
Help Them Adjust with as Little a Budget as Possible
Adjusting to long-term recovery can be expensive, as can adjusting to a new disability. You can help just by researching their options and providing them with the best option for price and value. This way, they can spare as much of their own money as possible on more positive things that help them get their mind off their injury or disability.
You can rent mobility aids from Bosshard Medical, for example, or use their hire to buy program on select products to spread out the cost of expensive mobility equipment. Both options are perfect for promoting independence in the home, and you can help just by showing them to your loved one as an option.
Stay on Track with Their At-Home Assignments
If they have therapy, then chances are they have at-home assignments to do between sessions. If they have physical therapy, then there will be stretches and exercises to do at home. Ensuring that they stay on top of these at-home activities will allow them to make much better progress in the long run. Just remember that it’s hard to start new hobbies, especially if their injuries or new disability have hit them and made them want to curl up into a ball and not do anything.
Remind Them of Their Progress
It can be hard to see how far you’ve come when there is still so much further to go. Soon you’ll be met with a new type of frustration, the one where they start to feel more normal and are itching to get back on their feet like nothing is wrong. This will often happen once they have made the halfway mark in their recovery. Wounds are starting to heal, they may not hurt as much anymore, and with that relief comes the frustration of being careful all the time.
To help them stay positive and patient, remind them of how far they have come and urge them to be patient until the doctor gives the okay. It will keep them committed to their recovery regimen, but not pushing themselves beyond their limits.