HOME initiative
Keep to your daily routine for a quick recovery
Our HOME initiative promotes four simple ways in which patients, their families, friends and staff can help to maintain our patients’ independence during their hospital stay. The aim is to enable patients to get up, get dressed and get moving on our wards, so that they can recover faster and have a better quality of life when they return home.
When people are admitted to hospital they often remain in hospital gowns or pyjamas and spend most of their time in bed. This leads to deconditioning and can reduce their ability to carry out everyday activities. Keeping to a normal routine, where possible, is particularly important for our older patients, when 10 days of bedrest in hospital is known to lead to the equivalent of 10 years ageing in the muscles of people over 80.
Watch our Director of Nursing at West Mid Vanessa Sloane speak about how we’re helping our elderly patients to keep mobile on Crane Ward:
#EndPJparalysis challenge
In 2018 we took part in the national NHS #EndPJParalysis challenge, a 70-day mission to achieve a million days of patients being up, dressed and moving while in hospital. We recorded how many patients we helped to do this every day.
We shared our progress throughout the challenge by following the journeys of some of our patients and continue this project to enhance their dignity, autonomy and experience.
Theo’s #EndPJParalysis story
He’s also been visiting the hospital shop so that he can sit out in his chair and read the newspaper, continuing with everyday activities like he would do at home.
His family brought in something for him to wear and staff were amazed at how much of a difference it made to see him out of his hospital PJs, looking much healthier. Dressed in his own clothes, Theo has been keeping active by moving around the ward and using his mobility frame to walk as much as possible.
Theo said: “It has really helped to keep active and I’m very glad to be out of intensive care. “Lucy, my physiotherapist, was a big support on ICU and I feel that getting dressed and trying to keep to my normal routine is getting me ready for going home.” |
83-year-old Theo was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at West Middlesex University Hospital following hip replacement surgery. He had, unfortunately, experienced complications and, due to underlying problems, was given oxygen to help with his breathing.
Despite being very unwell, he’s made sure to keep hydrated by always drinking lots of water, and walking down to the café regularly to have his favourite drinks and snacks.
Our physiotherapist Lucy Hill has been helping Theo to get up and dressed in his own clothes.
This seems to have made all the difference, as last week he was moved to our general surgery and orthopaedics ward Syon 2 and is making a much speedier recovery.Find out more
If you want to follow Theo’s story and other patients’ progress, check us out on social media: