Recently, my relative had some complications with an infection and he is currently in hospital battling a severe infection. He has been in hospital for just over a month and is possibly facing another one - two months (perhaps even longer) in hospital to fully recover.
Does anyone have an experience or advice how to support a relative facing a long stay in hospital? He is receiving a lot of support from the hospital staff for his physical health and care, but I am concerned about his mental health and how he is feeling in himself. While he recovers, his cancer treatment has been paused to give him the best chance to recover from his infection. This has understandably prompted difficult and emotional discussions with his doctors on almost a daily basis to discuss manage the infection versus the cancer treatment. His mood has been incredibly low on the last few visits.
I have suggested that he talks with his Macmillan nurse (who has been so supportive), but otherwise I am at a loss how best to help and support him. He is finding the hospital environment difficult due to a life time of medical trauma, he misses his pet cat dreadfully and he is feeling generally overwhelmed with no control over what is happening to him.
I would welcome any advice or suggestions as I feel so helpless to look after his mental health.
Thank you
Hi Anxious_Bookworm24 I see this is your first post so welcome to the community.
I am sorry to her about your relative and it's great that you are trying to help them out so let's look for folks with experience to pick up on your post.
To widen your search for information could I suggest you copy and paste the text from this post and put up a post in our supportive Carers only support group where you will connect with a wider group of people who are navigating the same support challenges.
We also have our Ask an Expert section but do allow a few working days for a reply.
