Families Are The Best Medicine!

Absolutely no question about it Family is the best medicine. Involving our Whānau in all aspects of care and rehabilitation is critical not only to our physical outcomes but most definitely our emotional wellbeing and mental health. Living with someone that requires 24/7 care is extremely challenging and stressful. Creating the space for families to enjoy each other outside the cauldron is paramount. It is the absolute priority so when discussing rehabilitation and improved physical outcomes, Whānau must be involved. Contrary to popular belief you cannot separate the physical from the emotional, they go hand in hand. Quite often we would experience Clinicians coming into our home only wanting to deal with Peter and not the wider family. It resulted in a lot of unnecessary arguments and a reluctance to participate.

When the kids were old enough they too became involved in Peter’s rehabilitation. Motivating him to work through the pain when he was on the standing frame or experiencing significant head pain when he was travelling. Spending time with the kids was the best form of rehabilitation. Now they are grown up and living all over the world, keeping connected and motivating Peter through this connection is the next part of the journey.