10: Recovery and Rehabilitation
You need to be dealing with these issues from the very first step.
Life in any situation is precious.
Now among your most precious supporters are the social worker, the physiotherapist, the occupational therapist, the speech therapist (if there are problems with speech or swallowing) and hopefully a rehabilitation specialist doctor.
Keep the focus on living, not on being sick. The sooner the patient is up after an operation, the better... if the physio has not come to visit, ask the nursing staff about getting up.
If there are difficulties with practical tasks or you anticipate practical difficulties at home, ask to see the occupational therapist.
If the carer sees any hazards to life, difficulties at home, family, financial, etc, ask the social worker in the ward sooner rather than later. Get processes started!
The patient generally will not be allowed home until the physio is happy, the speech therapist is happy. Work to be well and all be happy. Get out of the hospital as soon as sensible, there are sick people and diseases there!
Make sure you have answers to all the questions you can think of, make sure you have all the contact numbers, names and resources to make for continuity of care before discharge. Every hospital believes in 'continuity of care'. Help them make it work.