Returning to live at home after a hospital stay.

For many people, returning home after a hospital stay can be a challenge - because they can’t manage the stairs or move around the space in the same way as they previously did. However, home can be the best place to recover from illness, because our memories are there and we feel safe and comfortable. This was true for Sid Mitchell. When he developed a debilitating cancer in his nervous system in2009, Sid was told he’d only got six months to live. After treatment, it left him without the use of his legs, making him totally reliant on his wife, Pat, as his main carer. He returned home, however, they needed to make significant adjustments to enable him to stay there. They set a bed up for him downstairs, turning the conservatory into his living space. Knowing there would be limits to how much she could manage alone, Pat brought in Taylors of Grampound to help with Sid’s personal care. 

Coping with limited mobility

His mobility was so limited at first, he needed two people to support him to get up in the mornings. On a daily basis, Taylors’ support staff come in to help him with washing and dressing, fetching his clothes from upstairs to get him ready for the day. They return every evening to help him get ready for bed at night. The care means he was able to maintain his independence while remaining home in familiar surroundings. As Sid describes, “The cancer left me virtually paralysed, I couldn’t do anything for myself - I needed help with the most basic things. My wife was only a tiny person and couldn’t have coped on her own. I had no experience with care companies before that, so I didn’t know what to expect. They’re very helpful and caring, doing the best they can for me and they used to chat to my wife too.” Gradually, Sid’s condition improved enough to only need one support worker to help with his daily routines. 

Client-led support services

When his wife Pat became ill with cancer herself, Taylors increased the care package, adding domestic services to keep the house clean. Sid acknowledges he wouldn’t have been able to manage by himself at home without the care and support from the Taylors team. Sadly, Sid’s wife passed away in autumn 2019,leaving Sid alone at home. He says, “They’ve been really good to me since my wife passed away. Without them I’d be stuck. My wife was very house-proud and thanks to Taylors, it’s still kept spotless here because, separate to my personal care, they come two days a week to clean for me.”

For many of our clients, daily support gives them peace of mind to stay home, knowing they’ll get the help they need. As Sid says of his Taylors’ support workers, “They’re brilliant and I would recommend them if I ever needed to -apart from you’d hope people wouldn’t be needing them.”

If you or a loved one need support, we offer it by the hour, overnight, or on alive-in basis, providing quality support staff from our family-run business -we know how important family is. This means you can stay in your own home, continue to see your friends and family, and maintain the hobbies and interests that make you who you are.

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