Caregiver of the Month

Emily Falconer: May 2023

Nominated by a patient

“Emily was asked to assess one of our patients who had a deep tissue injury to his sacral area following complex surgery. The patient needed a seating option so he could sit out of bed. Emily tried a number of hospital supplied cushions but none were appropriate. Emily soon realised her patient would need a custom made option, so she spent time on the weekend looking for the items she needed. Emily went to a foam store and purchased equipment so she could cut and assemble a cushion herself that would be appropriate for her patient. She then came in the following Monday and trialled the cushion with the patient. He was very cautious at first because of his pain levels however once he had trialled the cushion he was thrilled with the result. For the first time, he was able to sit out of bed without pain, which aided in his recovery journey.

During this assessment, the patient disclosed that because he had been in hospital for such a long time he was feeling very low and in his words ‘disgusting’. Emily asked what would help him to feel more comfortable and he mentioned how desperately he wanted a haircut. Because of the patient’s medical status, this was not possible so Emily contacted the Footprints team at Hospice to see whether they could assist. And they could.