At Soham Lodge Care Centre, we pride ourselves in the diversity of needs of those we provide care for; be it physical, emotional, psychological or spiritual. We do not have fixed rules as to who we admit, or for which illness we provide care.

Our 34 bedrooms become home to adult and elderly people with a variety of requirements and complex needs.

Our Bariatric Reablement placement and in general, our Bariatric Care is second to none, providing state-of-the-art facilities. We have ten specially adapted bariatric rooms with open plan bathroom areas and the latest equipment to ensure maximum comfort for our residents. We have also recently opened a high specification 49 square metre bariatric suite which, besides all the usual high-quality facilities, also includes a kitchen area with height adjustable worktops and cupboards, making it wheelchair adaptable.

Our new physio room is a spacious, fully equipped recuperative setting in which residents can receive targeted care via our team of nurses and physiotherapists.

A patients Journey – A case study in Bariatric Reablement – We think this is best conveyed in Sharon’s own words:

My Story
My name is Sharon, I was 52 on Saturday.

In February 2021 my life turned upside down. I had been taking antibiotics for infection, firstly a throat then cellulitis.

I was made redundant the end of the previous year and my new job was working from home, along with a lot of people due to Covid.  I started to isolate myself and my ongoing weight problem was getting worse.  My relationship was also in trouble.  On the 16th of February I was admitted to Basildon hospital. I had breathing difficulties thought to be a reaction to antibiotics.

I do not remember much about the first month in hospital – I was not allowed visitors due to lockdown.  My first memory is the 4th of March 2021, my 50th birthday. I was taking controlled medication so every drug round I was asked my date of birth – no one wished me Happy Birthday.

I was not able to get out of bed so had to use a bed pan, it took 6 people to help me. I was in so much pain any movement hurt. I was eventually transferred to a respite ward.  By this time my skin had broken down and I developed blisters down my left side along with moisture leisons and pressure sores on my foot and ankle.

The team were mostly lovely and were very dedicated to my recovery. However, at this time I encountered a very rude doctor whose first words to me were “yoiu are fat!”. He went on to tell me not to take sugar in my tea and not to have people sneak me food (I have never had sugar in my tea and was not allowed visitors due to Covid).

My mobility was not great before, but I now could not walk at all.  Getting up onto the side of the bed was a challenge and very unnerving.  The thing with needing so much assistance is it takes away your control of a situation and that is scary.

The first time a Physio told me (not asked me) that I was being hoisted from the bed into a chair I was not my usual polite self.  He was a young dynamic chap, who tried his hardest to play some mind games with me…

Hmm, the problem is this chap had no idea of my background and did not know that I had my share of Psychology qualifications and had worked in the NHS myself for many years.  So, he admitted defeat but warned he would be back the next day.

The next day I was hoisted into a chair, and it went well. I was nervous but it was fine. I can’t help feeling that if he had chatted it through the day before it would have been ok.

Days turned into months and as I got physically better, I thought my mobility would return.  Silly me. I lost weight and had physio every day.  During this time my relationship broke down. Very sad after 15 years together – Something else to contend with. I was in a bay on the ward by myself so a very lonely existence.  The team tried had to keep my spirits up.

Five and a half months later I was informed by a discharge nurse I would be going to a Care Home in Cambridge.  I was horrified, Cambridge was nowhere near my friends and family and at 50 I really did not want to go to a Care Home.

I was visited by members of the team from Soham Lodge who answered my questions and tried to put my mind at rest.  My discharge date was changed, and I don’t mind admitting I prayed it would be cancelled. I was really scared and felt quite sick at the thought of what was ahead.

The day I left was very emotional. The lovely team on the ward had been looking after me for five months and I had become attached to some of them. The joys of social media means I am in touch with a lot of them.

The ambulance journey was shocking, the young crew member told me he could not sit with me as the chair he had to sit on was broken.  So, there I was strapped on a stretcher in the back of an ambulance being bounced around for two hours.

My first impressions of Soham Lodge, from outside it looked like an old Little Chef building (I later found out it had been a motel) – Inside the building was very clean and fresh, this is something my visitors always comment on.  I was petrified. I was hoisted from the stretcher onto a bed. The relief.  Everyone seemed friendly.  I had missed supper but once I was settled a lovely lady called Sharon brought me Fish and Chips with the promise of cheese on toast if I didn’t like it.  Sharon has gone on to be such a big part of my recovery.

Again, I do not remember a lot about my first few weeks at Soham. I did a lot of crying and was really not good mentally.  Something that still stands out is two carers washing my hair. It had not been washed for six months! It had to be washed seven times and was falling out in clumps.

I started physio and thankfully instantly felt comfortable with my Physiotherapist. His patience and commitment to my rehab was, and still is amazing.  So, the journey began, getting used to new people, building new relationships, a new way of life.  In my darkest days I did not think I would walk again, the despair and sadness turned to strength and determination.

As I got stronger, I really did believe my body would remember how to walk.  Oh no, that was not the case.  It really was back to basics, learn to move and strengthen every part of my body.  This journey has not always been straightforward, there’s been ups and downs, highs and such big lows.  Going out to sit in the garden was a military operation, four or five people to hoist me into a chair and take the chair outside, but to feel the sun for the first time in over seven months was amazing. Reminding me I was alive and had lived to tell the tale.

I always felt everyone in Soham Lodge was rooting for me, behind me every step.  One of the things I found difficult was not having a peer group, when I felt strong enough, I started to go into the communal area and join in activities going on.  Bingo became a favourite!  I have made some very dear friends with others living here.

Like I said earlier I don’t remember a lot about the start of my journey here, now I feel like I have always had the special people here in my life.  Control is a large part of recovery, working hard to take control of my life and journey, with physical and mental strength I am doing that now.  With lots of hard work I am now walking again with sticks and walk some short distance unaided in physio sessions.

This Saturday I went out to celebrate my 52nd birthday at the local Indian restaurant with friends.  For the first time in two years, I felt I was part of the group and not just “Sharon the poorly friend”.  When I was leaving hospital, someone asked what I had missed being in hospital, my answer was laughing.  Well, I certainly did a lot of that on Saturday night and know that there will be more laughter in my life going forward.