We recently chatted to Anna Barwinek, a support worker for Care in the Home, who has worked for the company for over 18 years, about the book she has recently published, ‘Still Here, Still You: Understanding Life After Spinal Cord Injury’, a guide for families, carers and the newly injured’.
Anna describes the motivation for writing the book as being “written from a place of deep respect. Respect for the people I have supported, for the families who have stood beside them, and for every quiet act of courage I have witnessed in hospital wards, living rooms, care plans, and uncertain moments.”
Her book encapsulates the care and compassion she demonstrates in her everyday life but also offers individuals and their families a practical guide to help them navigate life after a spinal cord injury, detailing the journey from understanding what a spinal injury means physically, the recovery process, organising care, adaptations at home, as well as returning to as close to a ‘normal’ life as possible.
As well as the practical advice, Anna offers those affected with a spinal injury a sense of hope on an emotional level too, as she explains in the introduction, “You will also find something else: the human side. The quiet realities, the fears families do not always say out loud.”
Anna is a shining example of how our Care in the Home Team puts clients’ physical and emotional well-being at the heart of everything they do, with a truly person-centred approach to the care they provide.
Anna’s book is now available for purchase on Amazon.
For more information about our Care in the Home division, visit our website.