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Getting home

Getting home is a huge step on the road to recovery. While it is often an enormous relief to be back home, some may find the first few weeks a bit of an emotional rollercoaster in terms of readjusting to everyday life. In this section, we've provided some general information and advice on the common physical and psychological issues you might face, what you can do to help the recovery process along, and the types of help that might be available to you and your family after you get home. We've also included a few short pieces on other people's experience, which we hope you will find helpful. 

 

 

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Web Link: NHS UK hearing loss weblink

This weblink goes to the www.nhs.uk website that has information specifically about coping with hearing loss.

External Video: Nightmares and poor sleep after ICU: a video by the Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine (FICM)

It is very common for people who have been through a critical illness to experience very significant sleep disturbance in the recovery period. This can range from difficulty getting off to sleep, early morning wakening and nightmares. There is a 5 minute and 19 second video of patients talking about these problems.

Web Link: Online self-help resources

This link will take you to fiveareasonline.com. They offer a range of resources for self-help, based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy or CBT.

External Article: Pacing your recovery

Pacing is a way of stopping from you doing too much and then being exhausted afterwards. This resource is designed for people with Myalgic Encephalitis, but the principles of pacing work for post-ICU recovery too.

Web Link: Peer support from ICUSteps

Some people find it helpful to meet and talk with others who have been through similar experiences to their own. This is the weblink to ICUsteps website with details of patient and family support groups UK wide. It will tell you more about the groups, who they are, what they do and when and where the meetings are held.

Web Link: Personal Independence Payments (PIP)

A Personal Independence payment (PIP) is extra money to help you with everyday life if you have an illness, disability or mental health condition. You can get it on top of Employment and Support Allowance or other benefits. Your income, savings, and whether you’re working or not don't affect your eligibility. This link takes you to the government's page on how to claim PIP, and who is eligible.

External Video: Physical difficulties at home: Kim's story

In this video, Kim talks about how she was very physically weak when she got home, and had poor balance. This is very common after an ICU stay. She talks about how she and her family managed this, and how she learnt to listen to her body and allow rest.

Document: Post Intensive Care Syndrome (PICS) patient education article from American Thoracic society

Information for patients, relatives and caregivers regarding Post Intensive Care Syndrome, which affects patients: mind (psychological) memory (cognitive) body (physical) home and work (social) This article from an American medical journal is well written and give a good overview of the impact of PICS.

External Video: Post Intensive Care Syndrome Family

This video examples what the symptoms are of Post Intensive Care Syndrome Family. It is not uncommon for families to suffer from poor health themselves, as having a loved one in ICU is a stressful and very emotional experience. It explains why this happens and how to seek help