When someone gets seriously hurt in a car crash or similar incident, they will obviously require immediate medical support. The more severe their injuries are, the more extensive the medical care they require will necessarily be. Surgery, physical therapy and a long-term stay in a rehabilitation facility may all be necessary after a car crash.
Family members and close friends tend to feel anxious and disempowered when a loved one has serious injuries that generate limitations on their daily life. However, there are many ways for close family members and other loved ones to provide practical support for someone recovering from a serious injury. These are some of the kinds of support that people often require after sustaining a life-changing injury.
Improved accessibility
The average home in the United States is not particularly accessible. From bedrooms that require that people go upstairs to bathrooms that are too small to access with a wheelchair or crutches, there may be many practical limitations within the house that affect how someone lives when they return home from the hospital. Family members can help prepare by making some adjustments to the living space to make it more accessible. From moving a bed to the first floor to remodeling a bathroom, there are many ways to make it easier for someone with a disabling medical condition to live safely and comfortably in their own home.
The reallocation of household responsibilities
The physical limitations generated by a serious injury might mean that someone can no longer fulfill the same role they did for their family previously. Instead of regularly maintaining the household vehicles and cleaning the gutters, someone may need to start doing lower-impact household services, like dishwashing. Those with injuries that affect their daily function still want to contribute to their households and feel like their existence benefits their loved ones. Readjusting the division of household labor can allow someone to fill a practical role for their family without putting them at risk of worsening injuries or new symptoms.
Ongoing emotional support
From regular visits while someone is in the hospital or a rehabilitation facility to a listening ear when someone feels frustrated with their new daily life, there are many ways for family members to provide emotional support to those with a newly acquired injury. Acknowledging and helping meet someone’s emotional needs can be as important as providing support with their daily lived experience in the home after their injury.
Although it can be difficult to witness a loved one struggling after getting hurt, family members who take proactive measures to support someone may minimize how hard it is for their loved one to adjust to their new normal.
