Leaving hospital
Carers and children
Children of all ages may initially feel upset or worried about having a stranger come to live in their house. It is important therefore for parents to keep children fully informed as to what is happening.
Some of the reactions that children have, are around:
- Sharing their bathroom with a stranger
- Feeling jealous that the PA has a close relationship with their parent
- Stopping them from having special moments with their mum, dad or sibling
- Wondering whether the PA will have some form of parental role.
Talking to your children about the person who is going to live with them, introducing them to the PA and allowing them to ask questions will help them to adjust and adapt to this person becoming part of their everyday life.
Allow your children to have some limited responsibilities within the home, such as helping with household chores or doing something for the SCI person, so that they feel that they are contributing. In time, seeing how you and the PA/carer look after the SCI person will deepen their awareness and understanding of the challenges of living with SCI and will help them to become sensitive to living with an impairment.