Sarah, who lives with multiple sclerosis, has found expert support in a friendly, home-from-home environment at Inspire Neurocare
Before coming to Inspire Neurocare, Sarah* spent time in hospital with sepsis due to complications arising from her diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. For Sarah, who is in her mid-thirties and until recently worked as a solicitor, this purpose-built, modern environment specifically designed for younger people means that she can form friendships with fellow residents whilst also accessing the complex care and rehabilitation input she requires.
"Due to Covid I was living at home, and it was difficult for me to get around. I ended up in hospital for five weeks with sepsis because I had infected pressure sores. I didn't even know I'd got some of the pressures because they on places where I couldn't see or feel. Because with my MS, I’m desensitised in one respect, but the nerves are very hyper sensitive.
In hospital, the team talked to me about going to a rehabilitation centre, and I was initially concerned that I would be with lots of older people. When Lizzie, Inspire’s Home Manager came to see me, she explained it all to me. I think what's important is that people know that there's a real mix of people here of all ages."
At Inspire Neurocare, therapy, clinical, and nursing support is developed around the needs of each person. We support people to become as independent as possible and personalise their environment to their choice. Sarah takes part in physiotherapy and occupational therapy as part of her rehabilitation programme and works towards her personal goals.
"Since being at Inspire I've got an MS nurse who's from local area. She has been amazing in what she has done for me in the short time that she's known me.
I’ve been able to decorate my room – basically, this is what I wanted my room university to be like. I’d been here about two weeks, and they'd already christened me the Amazon Queen. Because anytime anything comes from Amazon, they know it’s for me!"
Sarah worked with Inspire Neurocare's innovative Life Skills Facilitators to develop a timetable for her daily routines and night time posture changes that suited her sleeping schedule. From helping Sarah decorate her room to watching films together, LSFs have become trusted companions, supporting her with little things that make a big difference.
"Charlotte, the Life Skills Facilitator is an angel because she did a beauty course when she was younger. So she does my nails for me every couple of weeks – the last time while we watched The Grinch. They are so good. They really are. Not many people understand what it's like, and when I need someone to talk to, I can. It would be a lot harder if I hadn't got them to talk to.
Being here is wonderful. I have access to fantastic people like the physiotherapists. I couldn't hold my head up when I first came here, and now I sit in a chair and support my weight on the plinth in the gym.
In the summer, my cousins and I sat on the balcony, just playing board games, like we used to do when we were kids. Everybody in my family relaxed once they'd been here and seen that I was so relaxed here. It put their minds at rest. When I was in hospital, I wasn't me at all. My cousin said, 'I really am glad - this place brought you back to life in a way.'"
*Sarah's case study has been anonymised. We have used a pseudonym and the photo is posed by a model.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a condition that affects a person's brain and spinal cord, and occurs when the coating that protects nerves - the myelin - is damaged. This damage to the central nervous system can have different impacts on people depending on which part of the nervous system is affected, and which nerves are affected. People with MS live with symptoms including problems with vision, such as blurred vision, pain, fatigue, issues with memory and thinking, difficulties with balance, walking, and dizziness, and feelings of depression, stress, and anxiety.
There is no cure for MS, but the right support can allow people to live with independence and manage symptoms. Most commonly experienced by women, the first signs of MS often come years before diagnoses, which usually happens when people are over 30 years old.
To learn more about MS or to access support, please visit the MS Society, or read more about how we support people with progressive conditions at Inspire Neurocare.
Please contact the Inspire Neurocare team to find out how we can support people living with multiple sclerosis and other progressive neurological conditions.
