Supporting life beyond spinal injury

Spinal injury care

Supporting people to live well following a spinal cord injury and with complex, co-occurring needs.

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Who we support

Our nurse-led care homes support adults living with spinal cord injury alongside complex and co-occuring needs relating to:

Spinal cord injuries

Including:

  • paraplegia
  • tetraplegia
  • complete or incomplete spinal cord injuries
  • traumatic spinal cord injuries
  • non-traumatic spinal cord injuries.

Bladder, bowel, and continence needs

Including catheter care, bowel management, continence needs, stoma or urostomy care, and monitoring for associated complications.

Skin integrity, posture, and pressure care

Including increased risk of pressure damage, complex positioning needs, postural support, skin integrity needs, and pain or discomfort.

Mobility, function, and physical support

Including paralysis or reduced mobility, wheelchair use, transfers, moving and handling, positioning, and support with everyday activities.

Complex nursing and respiratory needs

Including respiratory needs, tracheostomy care, complex medication, pain management, autonomic dysreflexia, and other needs requiring ongoing nursing oversight.

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When someone might come to live with us

People come to our care homes at different stages of their care journey, including:

  • stepping down from an acute hospital, major trauma centre, spinal injuries unit, or rehabilitation service when they’re ready for discharge but still require 24-hour nursing care
  • moving from their own home as their physical health or nursing needs change
  • moving from another care setting that can no longer meet their needs
  • needing a new placement following a previous placement breakdown.

Our approach to spinal injury care

Our approach brings together nursing, clinical, and therapeutic expertise, with staffing and care shaped around each person’s needs, abilities, choices, and goals.

24-hour nursing care

Registered Nurses are on site 24 hours a day, providing responsive care, clinical oversight, and early recognition of change.

Needs-led staffing

Staffing and support shaped around individual physical and nursing needs, risks, and levels of dependency.

Multidisciplinary approach

Nursing, medical, therapeutic, and behavioural expertise works together to provide coordinated care around each person’s needs.

Complex clinical capability

Complex physical health and nursing needs are supported alongside mobility, respiratory, continence, and other co-occurring needs.

Person-led approach

Care shaped around each person’s needs, abilities, preferences, routines, relationships, and goals.

Meaningful living

Supporting everyday choices, relationships, interests, independence, and continued involvement in the things that matter to each person.

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Therapy, function, and independence

Physiotherapy and occupational therapy can help people maintain function, comfort, and independence following a spinal cord injury.

Support can include mobility and transfers, strength and movement, posture and positioning, equipment and adaptations, wheelchair use, and different ways of completing everyday activities.

The focus is shaped around what matters to each person.

Read about therapy support

Choice and independence

A high level of physical support shouldn’t mean having less control over everyday life.

We build care around each person, supporting them to direct their care and make decisions about how they live.

This can include using equipment and assistive technology, developing everyday living skills, pursuing interests, maintaining relationships, and working towards greater independence.

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Proactive nursing care

Spinal cord injuries can be associated with health complications that require close monitoring and early intervention.

Our nursing teams get to know each person’s usual health and presentation, helping them recognise changes and respond early.

Depending on individual needs, this can include support with:

  • bladder and bowel management
  • skin integrity and pressure care
  • respiratory health
  • pain
  • complex medication
  • risks such as autonomic dysreflexia.

Find spinal injury care

Our Referrals Team can help find the right Exemplar Health Care home for someone living with complex needs following a spinal cord injury.

Make a referral
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