Coming home
After helping hundreds of patients in east Kent return home safely and sooner from hospital, the Home First service has expanded into west Kent. Charlotte North spoke to Rosemary Hawkins about how the team supported her recovery after a fall.
When 79-year-old Rosemary Hawkins from Leigh, near Tonbridge, had a fall and woke up on the floor of her home, she could have been facing a long hospital stay.
But Rosemary was one of the first patients in west Kent to use Home First, a joint service run by Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust and Kent County Council.
Rosemary said: “I’d got up on the Wednesday and felt strange, so I went back to bed and slept. I remember going out to feed the dog and then the next thing I knew, I was on the floor.”
Rosemary is normally active. She attends a regular balance class, walks to the village shop and keeps busy caring for her husband Doug, who has dementia.
“I’ve got strong legs,” she said. “But Doug couldn’t get me up and I ended up in up in an ambulance to Maidstone Hospital.”
Doctors at Maidstone diagnosed a urine infection, which, in older people, can cause sudden dizziness and disorientation. Rosemary spent five days in hospital, but by the time doctors said she was medically fit to leave, she felt weaker than before: “I couldn’t walk,” she explained. “My balance was off. Being in hospital, you really lose a lot of your strength and a lot of your sense of self, too.”
For many people, this point in recovery could mean staying in hospital longer than needed, waiting for rehabilitation support. But longs stays can mean even less mobility and a greater chance of losing your independence. Luckily for Rosemary, that’s when Home First stepped in.
The service supports people to return home when it is safe to do so, with short-term, tailored care starting from the moment they arrive home. The service has already shown strong results in east Kent.
“I didn’t really expect much,” Rosemary admitted. “They said a Home First assessor would come to me and I thought, ‘No, I’ll be all right.’ But the medical staff said it would be a good idea. And they were right.”
Home First Assessor Laura Ndhlovu met Rosemary at home after discharge. “The first visit is a meet and greet,” Laura explained. “Our aim is to help people be as independent as possible, not to take over.”
Home First focuses on encouragement and enablement. Laura checks that equipment sent home from hospital is correct, safe and usable. “It might be a walking frame, a perching stool or other aids,” she said. “They only help if they are right for that person and if they understand how to use them.”
In Rosemary’s case, Home First support workers visited each morning. They helped with washing, dressing, breakfast and medication prompts, while encouraging her to do as much as she could herself.
“It gives you confidence,” Rosemary confirmed. “It’s comforting knowing someone will be here first thing in the morning. If something had gone wrong overnight, help was coming.”
That reassurance was vital because Rosemary is also a carer. She explained: “My husband Doug has dementia. When you fall, you immediately think, ‘What’s going to happen to him?’”
Laura explained: “When someone is caring for another person, that affects their recovery. That information is shared so other support can be looked at too.”
While Rosemary was in hospital, her three children stepped in to help Doug. She reflected: “It feels like a safety net. I’ve got a phone number. I know someone is there.”
After time in hospital, Rosemary said it was the small things that helped her feel like herself again: “When you’ve had a wash and your clothes are on, you feel like you again.”
She said. “If someone can wash their upper body but struggles to bend, we help with that part,” said Laura. “We might suggest simple equipment like a long-handled brush so they can do more themselves over time.”
Medication is prompted, not administered. Laura said: “Rosemary already had a great system. She wrote everything down by time of day. We simply checked and supported that.”
Now, just days after coming home, Rosemary is already thinking about the future.
“I want to get back out,” she smiled. “Walking to the village shop, going back to my balance class and seeing friends. My daughter comes on Wednesdays with my granddaughter, who’s three. She’s the highlight of my week. We play outside, go to the library and play games. I want to get back to all of that.”
Home First is a joint approach from Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust (KCHFT) and Kent County Council (KCC) that helps people return home as soon as they are medically ready, with the right short-term support in place.
When 79-year-old Rosemary Hawkins from Leigh, near Tonbridge, had a fall and woke up on the floor of her home, she could have been facing a long hospital stay.
But Rosemary was one of the first patients in west Kent to use Home First, a joint service run by Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust and Kent County Council.
Rosemary said: “I’d got up on the Wednesday and felt strange, so I went back to bed and slept. I remember going out to feed the dog and then the next thing I knew, I was on the floor.”
Rosemary is normally active. She attends a regular balance class, walks to the village shop and keeps busy caring for her husband Doug, who has dementia.
“I’ve got strong legs,” she said. “But Doug couldn’t get me up and I ended up in up in an ambulance to Maidstone Hospital.”
Doctors at Maidstone diagnosed a urine infection, which, in older people, can cause sudden dizziness and disorientation. Rosemary spent five days in hospital, but by the time doctors said she was medically fit to leave, she felt weaker than before: “I couldn’t walk,” she explained. “My balance was off. Being in hospital, you really lose a lot of your strength and a lot of your sense of self, too.”
For many people, this point in recovery could mean staying in hospital longer than needed, waiting for rehabilitation support. But longs stays can mean even less mobility and a greater chance of losing your independence. Luckily for Rosemary, that’s when Home First stepped in.
The service supports people to return home when it is safe to do so, with short-term, tailored care starting from the moment they arrive home. The service has already shown strong results in east Kent.
“I didn’t really expect much,” Rosemary admitted. “They said a Home First assessor would come to me and I thought, ‘No, I’ll be all right.’ But the medical staff said it would be a good idea. And they were right.”
Home First Assessor Laura Ndhlovu met Rosemary at home after discharge. “The first visit is a meet and greet,” Laura explained. “Our aim is to help people be as independent as possible, not to take over.”
Home First focuses on encouragement and enablement. Laura checks that equipment sent home from hospital is correct, safe and usable. “It might be a walking frame, a perching stool or other aids,” she said. “They only help if they are right for that person and if they understand how to use them.”
In Rosemary’s case, Home First support workers visited each morning. They helped with washing, dressing, breakfast and medication prompts, while encouraging her to do as much as she could herself.
“It gives you confidence,” Rosemary confirmed. “It’s comforting knowing someone will be here first thing in the morning. If something had gone wrong overnight, help was coming.”
That reassurance was vital because Rosemary is also a carer. She explained: “My husband Doug has dementia. When you fall, you immediately think, ‘What’s going to happen to him?’”
Laura explained: “When someone is caring for another person, that affects their recovery. That information is shared so other support can be looked at too.”
While Rosemary was in hospital, her three children stepped in to help Doug. She reflected: “It feels like a safety net. I’ve got a phone number. I know someone is there.”
After time in hospital, Rosemary said it was the small things that helped her feel like herself again: “When you’ve had a wash and your clothes are on, you feel like you again.”
She said. “If someone can wash their upper body but struggles to bend, we help with that part,” said Laura. “We might suggest simple equipment like a long-handled brush so they can do more themselves over time.”
Medication is prompted, not administered. Laura said: “Rosemary already had a great system. She wrote everything down by time of day. We simply checked and supported that.”
Now, just days after coming home, Rosemary is already thinking about the future.
“I want to get back out,” she smiled. “Walking to the village shop, going back to my balance class and seeing friends. My daughter comes on Wednesdays with my granddaughter, who’s three. She’s the highlight of my week. We play outside, go to the library and play games. I want to get back to all of that.”
People feel and function better at home
The Home First West Kent Team
By Amanda Lawrance, Operational Lead for Home First, West Kent
“Instead of waiting in hospital for support to start, Home First helps people return to their own surroundings. Our colleagues encourage each person to regain independence.“It’s so exciting to be rolling out in west Kent, with our lovely new team. A real strength will be the close link with our therapy teams. Here, people can receive therapy within 24 to 48 hours of being home if referred to the Therapy Assisted Discharge Teams (TADS).
“At home, people sleep better, feel calmer and recover in a place that feels safe. Home First simply supports this natural advantage, giving people the right help at the right time.”
