The transition home after rehabilitation can be filled with questions. 

 

As emphasized throughout this guide, you are not alone. Many of the resources provided here can help you navigate your needs. Here is a broad overview of what you can expect:

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• Changes to the home: Make the house easy to move around in, especially with a wheelchair. This means adding ramps, fixing bathrooms, and clearing space. Programs like Medicaid might help pay for these changes.

• Help with daily needs: Assistance with personal care like dressing, bathing, and moving in and out of beds or chairs. This also includes managing bladder and bowel care. Sometimes, outside helpers or home health services are needed, and figuring out insurance for these can be tricky.

• Handling finances and insurance: Understand how insurance (like workers' compensation or Medicaid) will cover medical bills, equipment, and care. Financial stress is common, and families often need to work hard with insurance companies to get coverage.

• Managing therapy and doctors: It’s important for therapy to continue, if possible. Families often help with getting to appointments. Finding doctors and therapists who specialize in SCI is important. The person with SCI and their support team also need to keep track of medicines and watch for new health problems.

• Dealing with emotions: Support persons often help the person and themselves cope with the emotional toll of the injury. Caregivers can get tired and need their own support. It's important to encourage the person with SCI but also let them express feelings like frustration. Support groups can be very helpful.

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Find Information and Help

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Actively search for information about the injury, care, and available resources. Talking to doctors and case managers is key. Organizations like United Spinal Association or Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD) and others included in the website offer valuable support. 

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You can learn of the experiences / advice of others with SCI as they returned to their homes and communities at the resources below.