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Home / Giving Back to Graham Anderson House: Irene’s Story
When retired nurse Irene had a stroke last spring, she couldn’t move without help and struggled to stay awake. Now, after support from Brainkind’s Graham Anderson House in Glasgow, she’s back at home – and is volunteering to help other people like her.
In April 2024, Irene had a stroke. She was rushed to two different hospitals for emergency treatment. Then, she came to Graham Anderson House – our purpose-built neurological centre in Glasgow – for longer-term rehabilitation.
“I am a retired nurse and worked in many settings, so I appreciated the enormity of what was happening to me.”
“I was unable to hold a conversation or mobilise without two members of staff or a wheelchair. When I was up walking with staff support, I had difficulty putting one foot in front of the other. There was a break in the wire between my brain and my feet.”
Irene wasn’t ready to give up, though.
“I distinctly remember someone mentioning long-term care in a nursing home. I vividly remember saying to myself, ‘that will be bloody right’. From that point, I was determined to get back up on my feet and get home.”
When Irene arrived at Graham Anderson House, she knew there was a hard road ahead. At Brainkind, we believe that no one should have to face that road alone. So, our team was ready to support Irene, no matter what.
“I participated in various sessions from speech and language therapy to psychology, art, mindfulness, counselling, physiotherapy, and occupational therapy. All of these provided the building blocks for my speech, memory, mobility, and self-confidence.”
Personalising our care to each individual’s needs is central to Brainkind’s approach to rehabilitation. Since living independently was so important to Irene, our clinical experts worked with her to rehabilitate her mobility and strengthen her communication. Soon, she was able to walk unaided and wash and dress herself.
“I, as a person, began to emerge again and my strength and determination came back from the deep.”
After months of rehabilitation with our team, Irene was well enough to live independently again. She returned home. But that wasn’t the end of her relationship with Graham Anderson House.
“On my discharge, I wanted to give something back for the care and support myself and my family received.”
So, when our team was setting up a Safeguarding and Safety Group to workshop policy with the people we support, Irene was happy to lend her expertise.
“My background is nursing, and patient safeguarding has been very much part of my job. I decided to participate in the Brainkind safeguarding group and provide my input from a service user’s perspective.”
Irene wasn’t finished there, though:
“My second gift, if you like, was to carry out voluntary gardening within the hospital to brighten things up a bit.”
Irene concluded:
“A great deal of rehabilitation is down to the individual. However, you need the tools and guidance to achieve it. That is what I was given in Graham Anderson House.”
We are proud to have been able to support Irene’s determination to recover. The people we support are at the centre of what we do. We’re here to help people with brain injuries or neurological conditions work towards the life they choose – no matter what.
If you’re interested in Graham Anderson House and the services we offer there, click here.
If, like Irene, you’d like to help support people at our services, click here to explore our fundraising and volunteering opportunities.
