Val’s TCP Journey

“Val” had a fall at home, and was in severe pain. She didn’t call an ambulance, and refused to go
to hospital, as she feared she wouldn’t come out, or at the very least, she’d be crippled.

After a short stint (in the Emergency Department & Acute Ward), and with family assistance, Val
joined the Transition Care Program and stayed in “a lovely room” in the Sub-Acute Ward. She
shared her room with “a nice lady”. They enjoyed chatting and watching tennis –“sometimes
until 10 o’clock at night”.

It took some time, but Val’s pain was brought under control, and she was soon able to become
more involved in the program.
She was reluctant to press the buzzer when she needed help “I didn’t want to be a nuisance, but
they said they’d come, and every time I pressed it after that, the staff were quick to come to help
me. That gave me confidence to ask when I needed something,” she said.

“I was worried about how I would manage in hospital, but in the end, I did not have to worry at
all – the staff took care of everything, they very carefully changed our sheets and towels, cleaned
the bathroom, and when I was allowed a visitor, they made sure there was a comfortable chair
there”.

Then she started exercises and activities to help boost her confidence, so she could return home. “I think transition care means doing things for yourself and being able to help yourself. They helped me with exercises, and took me to join in with the group. They were all so caring and friendly, and I think it gives you confidence”.

That’s the big thing for Val, staff instilled in her the confidence that she was getting better. Gloria’s cooking classes were a hit, even though Val tells us she knew staff were checking to see how she was around big, sharp knives, and generally in the kitchen, especially near hotplates. “It was like a challenge”.
And in the middle of a global pandemic, Val enjoyed the chance to socialise. “Usually, there were six or eight of us, so that was good”.

The last few words…

“It helped build my confidence to the point where I was confident to go home on my own. The doctors managed to get my pain under control, then the nurses and physiotherapists and Monique worked with me, so I was confident to go home on my own.” – Val

“Both my sister and I have nothing but positive feedback for the subacute team and facilities. Mum had a wonderful experience and most importantly recovered well and transitioned back home well due to the transition program on offer.” – A family member of Val

This story has been collected as part of the Swan Hill District Health Consumer Stories Project.
If you have a story to tell, or would like to share your experience, please contact the
Quality, Experience and Safety team on 03 5033 9894 or feedback@shdh.org.au