Spinal patients placed in elderly care homes

One in five people paralysed by a spinal cord injury is being placed in care homes for the elderly due to a lack of suitable housing, according to research commissioned by charity Aspire. This practice is damaging their quality of life and physical health, the study argues. Researchers from Loughborough University found increased risks to physical health such as pressure sores, infections and even broken bones. Psychologically, the study found cases of chronic depression, self-harm and suicidal thoughts following extensive interviews with 20 people with spinal injuries who live or have lived in a care home. Aspire concluded that the consequences of housing a spinal injured person in a care home were so destructive that it is unacceptable for public policy to continue to allow this as an option’. This was due to people in this situation experiencing a lack of independence, damage to relationships, isolation and boredom. Furthermore, lack of specialist knowledge among care home staff and inadequate facilities mean that people’s physical health needs are often not met, resulting in further injury, pain and illness. Chief executive of Aspire, Brian Carlin, said: All too often, people with spinal cord injury find themselves discharged to somewhere totally unsuitable and, as this study confirms, care homes are often the very worst option for someone recovering from a traumatic spinal injury.