“I felt secure in the knowledge that I was in the right hands.”
Before her stroke, Diana lived a vibrant, creative and sociable life. Her family were at the heart of her world. As a mother of five, her days were often filled with the joyful chaos of a bustling household. Later, her role expanded to grandmother of nine lovely grandchildren, giving her the chance to extend her love to another generation of her family. Her social world was rich with colourful family gatherings, busy holidays, and meaningful everyday conversations.
In between catching up with her wide-spread family, Diana also enjoyed getting stuck in with creative pursuits, such as needle-work, art, and clothing design. These hobbies had always appealed to her, not just as a way to express her imagination and lively character, but also as a source of some much-needed mindfulness and focus in her busy life.
However, in November 2020, at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, Diana suffered a stroke. This left a profound impact on her day-to-day life. Her confidence, upper limb function and the sensation through her right side was significantly affected, making it challenging for her to manage everyday tasks at home, such as her needlework, gardening, and cooking/baking. Perhaps most difficult was the impact on her ability to stay socially connected with her large, close-knit family, her greatest pride. The stroke marked a deeply life-altering shift.
To support her recovery, Diana began home-based rehabilitation with the team at Hobbs Rehabilitation Winchester. Initially having some Specialist Neurological Physiotherapy from Anna, it was soon identified that her needs and goals were more functionally based around her everyday tasks at home. For the past three and a half years, she has been working closely with our Specialist Neurological Occupational Therapist, Rose,who developed a holistic functional programme personalised to her rehabilitation goal; to support her to become functionally independent again using her right arm, and to rebuild the confidence to engage in the creative hobbies she loved.
Diana’s Occupational therapy treatment focused on improving upper limb sensation, fine motor control, core-strength, and neck stability, which were key areas affected by her stroke. Traditional hands-on therapy was combined with everyday repetitive tasks, designed to enhance her progress and increase her participation in meaningful activities. The aim was to gradually build her overall endurance, use of her right upper limb in function and manage her fluctuating mood, helping her to re-engage in activities that had been such an enjoyable aspect of her life.
Occupational therapy focused on reintroducing purposeful, functional tasks, such as card designing and art work, gardening, and baking, into her daily routine. These activities involved our Occupational Therapist identifying and addressing the challenges Diana faced at home, working closely with her to build confidence and independence, helping her reconnect with both her daily life and the wider community.
Diana’s love for her flowers, garden, village, and home enabled therapy to take place in a comfortable, supportive environment which motivated her to complete her therapy goals which could then be carried over in between therapy sessions. By integrating activity-based rehabilitation into her wider therapy programme, the goal was to create a smoother, more natural transition from structured rehabilitation back into everyday life.
Supported by her dedicated neurological therapist, her own steadfast determination and hard-work ensured Diana has made significant progress in her rehabilitation journey. While some physical limitations remain due to other health related issues, she has achieved a level of independence which exceeded her own expectations. With the ongoing improvements in her mobility and strength, Diana now feels more comfortable and empowered to take part in her favourite hobbies. Whether it’s tending to her vegetables and fruits in the greenhouse, or baking cakes for her grandchildren, these moments have become incredible milestones.
“It has been such a pleasure treating Diana in her own home, utilising her love of gardening, art work and creativity to engage her therapy goal of driving. Her mood and engagement has improved significantly, and it has been fantastic to show her the improvements she has made with her right upper limb use, which has enabled her to carry out activities she didn’t think were possible.
We have cried with laughter whilst doing exercises in the garden, baking various delicious treats and reminiscing about stories of past and present. The rapport and relationship built whilst carrying out her therapy has been very special, I now consider Diana a friend as well as a client. She should be very proud of her perseverance and goals achieved so far.” – Rose Beacham, Specialist Neurological Occupational Therapist
Her story is a powerful testament to the impact of personalised Occupational Therapy, combined with hard work and a positive spirit.
When asked how she felt about her progress at Hobbs Rehabilitation Winchester, Diana responded“I felt secure in the knowledge that I was in the right hands. High praise and thanks for the standards of treatment and for the outstanding service provided. And, for the ever present professional, cheerful, and friendly skills of those providing the treatment.”