Tailored Complex Care at Home After Brain Injury
Recovery at Home: A Journey Towards Independence
Recovery following an acquired brain injury can be a complex and deeply personal journey. No two experiences are the same, and individuals can face a wide range of physical, cognitive, emotional, and behavioural challenges throughout their rehabilitation.
Access to the right specialist support can have a profound impact on recovery outcomes. Providers such as Stonewood Healthcare enable individuals to receive expert complex care within the comfort and familiarity of their own homes. Through tailored, person-centred support, Stonewoodās experienced and compassionate team helps people maximise their independence and enhance their overall quality of life, while remaining connected to the people, places, and routines that are important to them.
In this article, we explore Stonewood Healthcare as a case study to demonstrate how a carefully tailored home-based care environment, combined with specialist expertise, can help individuals affected by brain injury feel secure, empowered, and supported as they navigate their recovery journey.
Stonewood Complex Care believes that care at home should keep you connected to the people and places that matter most to you.
What Is Complex Care at Home?
Liveāin complex care provides the highest level of oneātoāone support within the comfort and familiarity of a personās own home.
A specialist provider, such as Stonewood Complex Care, can deliver personalised support that adapts to each individualās circumstances. Care can range from regular daily or weekly visits to full live-in care, ensuring the right level of assistance is available while promoting independence, safety, and quality of life.
With complex care at home, people benefit from consistent assistance with daily living, personalised rehabilitation and medication routines, and access to specialist input where required. This can benefit emotional wellbeing, reduce anxiety, and support a greater sense of comfort, stability, and independence.
Specialist Flexible Care at Home
The effects of a brain injury can vary significantly depending on the type and severity of the injury, often affecting physical, cognitive, emotional, and behavioural functioning. As a result, care should be tailored to the individualās specific needs, recovery goals, and level of independence.
For many people, specialist complex care at home provides the right balance of support and independence. This option is particularly suitable when life at home remains manageable but requires flexible, ongoing assistance that can be regularly reviewed and adapted as needs change and progress is made. Specialist complex care at home can help individuals to:
- Maintain independence and confidence while continuing to live in familiar surroundings.
- Manage daily routines successfully, including medication, appointments, and personal responsibilities.
- Improve safety and reduce risks associated with mobility, balance, and physical health challenges.
- Receive dignified, personalised support with personal care and continence needs when required.
- Develop strategies to overcome cognitive, emotional, and behavioural challenges following a brain injury.
- Build and maintain skills that support rehabilitation, recovery, and long-term wellbeing.
- Remain connected to family, friends, work, education, and the wider community.
- Achieve personal goals through flexible support that adapts as needs and abilities change over time.
People-First: Choosing the Right Provider
Stonewood embraces the power of people. Its colleagues are empowered to make a meaningful difference every day, delivering positive outcomes for service users while developing rewarding and fulfilling careers. Their skilled specialistsĀ ensure the highest level of personalised care is provided, promoting independence and quality of life, while maintaining connections to the people and places that matter.
The right care environment can be life-changing. Beyond supporting individuals with day-to-day challenges, high-quality care can help restore independence, build confidence, and improve overall wellbeing and quality of life.
CQC registered, Stonewood provides personalised, one-to-one care tailored to each individual’s unique needs and preferences. With flexible support options ranging from daily visits to live-in care, its dedicated care professionals offer assistance with all aspects of daily living, including personal care, medication support, household tasks, and companionship. This person-centred approach enables individuals to live safely, comfortably, and as independently as possible in their own homes.
An “exceptional culture” led by “exceptionally inclusive leaders” who help families feel informed, valued and confident in the care being provided (CQC).
Stonewood Complex Care at Home: A Case Study
A male clientĀ with a traumatic brain injury had received support from another provider for approximately eight months. Due to fluctuating capacity and difficulties with decision-making, concerns were raised about the safety of his support arrangements, particularly regarding medication management, including controlled drugs and medication-seeking behaviours.
Additional challenges included refusing support from staff without clear cause, manipulating staff and family members, and limited engagement in the community. His rehabilitation and independence were further impacted by a reluctance to travel in cars as a result of the circumstances surrounding his brain injury.
The existing support arrangement struggled to respond to this level of complexity. Consistency was lacking, risks were difficult to manage, and a more structured, specialist approach was needed.
Empowerment Through Specialist Support
Stonewood Complex Care were introduce to help rebuild stability, trust, and a sense of control in his daily life, a number of thoughtful, person-centred changes were introduced:
Welcoming new staff together ā he was involved in introductions, helping him feel comfortable and more at ease with his care team.
Specialist training for carers ā introduced bespoke training for this team of carers on behaviour management, boundary setting and incident reporting
A simple social contract ā establishing clear yet supportive boundaries, reducing uncertainty for everyone involved.
Reconnecting with the community ā carers were trained to drive his adapted vehicle which supported regular outings and greater social engagement.
A robust medication routine ā including ordering, delivery, storage and times administration of key medication. Plus nurse-led medication rounds during the first two days of new care staff to help the client to build trust and security.
A Collaborative Multidisciplinary Approach
The case manager coordinated monthly in-person meetings, bringing together professionals including the occupational therapist, neuropsychiatrist, dietitian and wider clinical team.
With a stable care team in place, the focus could move away from crisis management and towards meaningful rehabilitation and long-term progress.
The Outcomes
A consistent and experienced staff team was established, reducing staff turnover and enabling the multidisciplinary team to focus on rehabilitation rather than crisis management. As a result, the client has made significant progress in daily living skills and can now prepare his own breakfast with minimal support.
Medication management has improved through robust processes, including secure storage of medication, leading to a reduction in medication-seeking behaviours and related conflicts. Increased community involvement has also contributed to improvements in communication, cognition, and overall independence.
The Impact on Family Life
One of the most meaningful outcomes was the positive impact on his family. Living with his mother in a single-parent household meant she had carried the responsibility of his care for many years.
She was finally able to step back from her caregiving role and simply be his mum again. She was even able to start a new job ā something that had previously felt impossible.
This case demonstrates how specialist, person-centred complex care at home can improve outcomes, not only for the individual receiving support, but for their entire family.
Holistic Support Through Brain Injury Group
The Brain Injury Group client directory connects you with specialist providers, like Stonewood Complex Care, to help you access tailored support for navigating life after brain injury.
We also offer holistic resources for individuals affected by brain services:
- Care navigation ā Referrals to experienced case managers and care teams
- Education and resources ā Information guides, helpful training, and awareness initiatives
- Emotional support ā Advice on how to handle the emotional effects of brain injury
- Legal advice and support ā Access to brain injury specialist solicitors
If youād like guidance or simply a conversation, speak to one of our expert advisors today.
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