Nathan is supported at one of our Neurological Rehabilitation Centres. Following a motorcycle accident, he moved into Ashbrook Neuro Rehabilitation in January 2023.
Nathan was travelling home from work when the accident happened. It resulted in him suffering a fracture to the left side of his body and a brain injury, which led to an eight-month hospital stay.
As a result of the long hospital stay, with very limited mobility and no freedom to do all the things he loves, Nathan’s mental health was significantly impacted.
When Nathan moved into Ashbrook Neuro Rehabilitation, based in Rochdale, his mental health was very low, and he was struggling with motivation.
The support team immediately devised a personalised support plan for Nathan, designed to empower him to achieve greater independence and get back to doing the things he loves.
With the determination and compassion of the team, combined with Nathan’s great sense of humour, it didn’t take long at all for him to settle in, and he now even has nicknames for the whole team.
Nathan told us:
“In May 2022, I was on my way home from work when I was knocked off my motorbike. I was rushed to hospital where I was in a coma for three months. I was not predicted to live and they told my parents that if I did live, I would be in a vegetative state.
On the day the hospital decided I was well enough for surgery, they called my Mum, who was at the top of a hill walking. She ran back down the hill and came straight to the hospital. I then spent a long time at Salford Royal Hospital and Trafford General Hospital. It was an incredibly difficult time as my mobility was completely gone. I would only be able to shower once a week if that.”
Nathan has defied all odds!
He can now walk with a specially designed gutter frame, something Nathan and his family were told would be highly unlikely to ever happen.
He has gained independence through his personal determination and the continued support of his team. He is now able to cook for himself in the therapy kitchen.
All this has been achieved through a collaborative approach, with a team of professionals, including Occupational Therapists, Rehab Coaches, Speech and Language Therapists, Music Therapists, Physiotherapists, his Support Workers, and the continued support of his loving family.
“Living at Ashbrook has transformed my life. I am incredibly proud of my progress since moving in, and it’s all thanks to the team here. It’s like having my own private apartment. I now shower everyday with support, and I’ve got the independence to cook my own meals. I am even having music therapy and learning to play the guitar again.”
Gemma Clarke, from All-in-One OT, works closely with Nathan and the team at Ashbrook to support Nathan achieve his goals:
“We work collaboratively to support Nathan and his incredible progression comes from us all working together on his support plan. Nathan is heavily involved when we are putting plans together; we might think we know what he needs, but ultimately, it’s Nathan who knows best, and that’s what makes it so person-centred.”
Music is a huge part of Nathan’s life, and he’s a big fan of the Foo Fighters. Before the accident, Nathan was in a band, and he played the guitar.
The team at Ashbrook have tapped into Nathan’s passion for music; they have arranged for a Music Therapist to visit and have also started working on strength building to enable him to play his guitar again, using a specially designed guitar.
As part of his music therapy, Nathan now has a personalised music playlist for each of his activities.
He has a playlist for cooking in the kitchen, a playlist in the exercise cabin and motivational quotes by the Foo Fighters on his wall.
Another one of Nathan’s hobbies is cars; he is particularly a big fan of vintage Volkswagen Beetles.
The Ashbrook support team have used this passion to create a ‘progress road’ on his wall.
They have added a picture of Nathan in a Volkswagen Beetle and included all his progress so far, so he can clearly see his journey and how far he has come.
Denise Clarke, Nathan’s Rehab Coach, said:
“Sometimes Nathan goes back to feeling low and demotivated. He’s a very creative person, so visuals work well in helping him stay focused. Now we have created the visual road on his wall, it really helps. Nathan and I have a special bond, and when he does feel low, it doesn’t take long for him to be back to his determined self after we have a little chat. He is a wonderful person, very caring with a great sense of humour."
Before the accident, Nathan was working as a mechanical engineer. He was on his way home from a job at Bentley when the accident occurred.
He told us:
“My ultimate goal is to get back to work and get back to driving. I will never ride a bike again; I passed my car driving test just before the accident, and I am aiming to be able to drive one day. With the support from the whole team at Ashbrook I really think this is possible.”
Ashbrook Neuro Rehab centre is a modern purpose-built building that has been sensitively designed to meet the needs of individuals requiring neuro rehabilitation. Everyone living with us has a bespoke individualised package of support tailored to meet their needs. Support is delivered by our expert and very passionate team.
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National Care Group is one of the UK’s leading adult social care providers. We support adults with learning disabilities, mental health diagnoses, acquired brain injuries, and autistic people, with services across England and Wales.
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