At Askham, we’re thrilled to announce that we’ve achieved successful results from a trial we recently held in making relatives of service users a part in their rehab journey.

Following the launch of our new robotic rehab service, we recently trialled offering onsite accomodation to determine whether it could help patients with neurological injuries return to a normal life with the assistance of their loved ones. 

So, we welcomed a married couple, Rachael and Jasmin Evans, to our Doddington site. Here, Jasmin received rehabilitative treatment following a severe brain aneurysm and two strokes, which left her speechless, partially blind and practically immobile.

Upon their arrival, Jasmin and Rachael moved into one of our self-contained, fully adapted on-site apartments as part of the rehabilitative journey. Our apartments are designed with ample space in mind for optimum comfort, and have access to our surrounding gardens.

We provided Jasmin with a weekly timetable that covered seven days a week, which included one-on-one therapy sessions with all four of our disciplines: speech and language, occupational, physio and psychology.

Furthermore, having Jasmin at the centre of the rehabilitation programme meant that Rachael could get involved with the sessions that included group activities, too.

With the use of our state-of-the-art robotic equipment being part of her rehabilitation, Jasmin was able to work on her balance and posture, cardiovascular and muscle strength, and visual coordination. As well as building her strength up physically, she also stayed mentally stimulated and engaged with sequencing and problem-solving activities offered by the robotics – further building her confidence and aiding her progression.

Having arrived a little over ten weeks ago, the couple are now preparing to leave our rehab centre after undertaking an extensive rehabilitation programme. We were delighted to see that, within just six weeks, Jasmin was walking along our tree-lined avenue chatting away with her wife – a drastic improvement from when she first arrived.

Following Jasmin’s admission, we’ve spoken to both of them about their experience with us. Describing their journey at Askham, Rachael told us: “By the time Jasmin was transferred to Askham, the stress from the acute care phase had taken its toll on me. I arrived tired, emotional, and confused about what was happening. I felt left out and alone. It was horrendous. I was immediately reassured by the team, however, and was welcomed to be part of Jasmin’s recovery process.

 “Our journey began with me sitting on the side of a road crying; now, I’m about to leave with my wife. Askham has given her back to me. Thanks to the structured, holistic approach of the rehab, Jasmin responded to treatment way quicker than I could’ve ever imagined. We came to Askham looking for help and are now leaving with a family. I can only praise the staff’s respect, compassion and empathy for enabling us to leave in such a positive position.”

Jasmin added: “Before I came to Askham, I was crying everyday – but not anymore. I have such a positive outlook following my treatment – I can do things for myself now.”

At Askham, this has been our very first attempt at welcoming people from overseas to come and stay with us for rehabilitation, and we’re delighted to see Jasmin’s dramatic progress.

The recent addition of our robotic equipment proved to be the final piece of the puzzle in terms of being able to offer our complete range of services to an international market. We have the facilities to accommodate and treat people with a wide range of extensive neurological conditions, and programmes in place to ensure those staying with us will receive structured, high-quality care with a holistic approach. Allowing Rachael to be a part of Jasmin’s journey proved significant in her road to recovery, and we look forward to celebrating more success stories in the near future.

Jasmin will now undergo four weeks of virtual sessions as part of her post-treatment programme, before finally being discharged on Wednesday 23rd December – just in time for Christmas.

If you’d like to take a look at our care services, please do take a few moments to browse our website.