Okay, I am home. Now what?
Getting organized and forming a daily routine should be number one on the list. It is important to know what you need to do, where to do it and just how long it will take. It may be difficult to be "on time" for the first couple of weeks until you get comfortable in your new home routine.
In the rehabilitation hospital, you may have had help from staff and a fairly fixed schedule. Think about your day now that you are home and consider the following:
1. What do I need to do today?
- For myself?
- For others?
- Around the house?
- At work
- At school, etc.?
2. What time do I need to be at each appointment?
3. What do I need to do before I get to my first, second, third (etc.) appointments? For example, before I go to work at 9:00 a.m., I need to:
Transfer to my wheelchair
- Transfer to the shower bench and take a shower
- Dry off and dress myself
4. How long will each of my care tasks take?
Give yourself an extra 30-60 minutes until you fine tune your routine.
5. Practice your routine for a few days before you really have to get anywhere important.
6. Consider setting a schedule for the next day or the upcoming week to stay organized.
Consider displaying it somewhere very accessible and easy to see. See Assignments 1-3 for practice in this area.
7. Use an alarm clock to wake up at the same hour every day as needed.
8. If you have a list of tasks, try posting them in the bathroom/bedroom/kitchen, etc.
They may be helpful for you when organizing/sequencing morning routines and chores.
Personal Reflections: A Going Home Story
"It still seems like yesterday, although 10 years have passed since my injury. I was discharged from the rehab hospital on a Friday. Saturday was a lazy day filled with 'well-wishers' and friendly visitors who were glad that I was finally home. My wife and I planned to attend church on Sunday morning. I knew from my rehab how important it was to get organized the night before in order to be on time. We figured that if church started at 10:30, I should get up about 8:00 a.m., do my bowel program, shower, dress and eat. Well, we did all that...10:30 came and went. About noon I was ready to go! We laugh at this now, but at the time we were very frustrated. The house was set up so differently from the hospital. It took longer to transfer and set up our supplies efficiently. We had to get used to it and figure out what worked best for us, the family and the schedule. In a short time we became very efficient. I go to work everyday and to church every Sunday...on time! It does get easier."
Getting organized is the key to jump starting your day.
Build a Day: Spinal Cord Injury
This activity is designed to help you plan a daily schedule. Please use the information provided below and then complete the calendar. Remember to allow yourself extra time for unexpected events (phone calls, someone else in the bathroom, etc.). Click here for a copy of the schedule.
Timetables Worksheet
This activity is will help you review how much time it takes to do certain tasks related to personal care during the day. Please look at the list below and assign the correct amount of time (e.g., 30 minutes) to each task. Only mark the items that apply to you. Click here for the worksheet.
