'Get Up, Get Dressed, Get Moving'

Wednesday 05 June 2019

A new initiative to help speed up recovery times has been launched at The Princess Elizabeth Hospital.

In an effort to help patients get back into their normal routine, they are being encouraged to get out of bed and get dressed, and back to their daily activities.

The initiative is inspired by last year’s UK wide campaign ‘#endPJparalysis which marked 70 years of the NHS, with a 70-day challenge to get patients mobilised. The emphasis of the Get Well Dressed initiative is on getting information out to the public as well as on the change of mindset required to aid speedy recovery. 

Pictured: Gary Whitwam. 

The Lead Nurse for Medicine at the PEH, Gary Whitwam, says the initiative is for patients of all ages and conditions. 

"Patients come into hospital, relatives bring them in, they are put in pyjamas, their clothes are taken home and the patient gets in bed. We as healthcare professionals want to get patients to the place they were in before being admitted," he said. 

The team at the PEH say lengthy hospital stays have been proved damaging for patients’ progress, debilitating both their physical and mental health. Longer stays can hinder speedy recoveries as well as reinforce the sick state of mind with patients becoming more inclined to adopt the ‘sick role’. In addition to isolation from routine and stress that this subsequently causes, prolonged stays increase sleep deprivation, the risk of falls and fractures as well as extend episodes of acute confusion.

Banding together to support the local campaign are a team of allied health professionals - occupational therapists, nurses, physiotherapists and support staff.

Pictured: Gary Whitwam and the team at the PEH. 

One patient, Butch, aged 72, has been in hospital recovering from foot surgery since February. He shared his initial skepticism of the initiative but expressed that after some time, he was struck by its effectiveness and how well it related to his own situation.

He admits; "it is easy to lose interest and let yourself go", and even noticed a loss in muscle mass. After getting up and walking, he says he is feeling a lot better and the initiative has given him a "massive uplift".

In addition to a loss of appetite and constipation, Mr Whitwam, who kickstarted the campaign, says muscle wastage is a leading concern, particularly for patients over the age of 80 who can expect to lose 10% of muscle mass for every ten days they spend in hospital – the equivalent of ten years of ageing. Loss of muscle strength can lead to greater physical dependency commonly referred to as deconditioning.

As part of the transition back to normality, ‘meal tickets’ have also been introduced to discourage patients from staying confined to their hospital rooms where many eat their meals remaining seated in bed. Patients can walk to the canteen, cash in their meal tickets and dine with family and other patients. Tea parties are also held in the rehabilitation ward with patients across all wards being invited to enjoy communal dining, further establishing a beneficial sense of community and reinstating them back into a routine.