Care and Mobility considerations

Care

Needs are related to both treatment and the disease. During the period immediately after transplant they will be in isolation in hospital. After discharge they will have been advised about their diet and may need help from someone else with food preparation. They are likely to need help to travel to the hospital if they are at home. Normal everyday activities like chatting on the telephone and reading are likely to be very exhausting and they may require a lot of sleep. Severe fatigue may make activities of daily living difficult. Help with activities of daily living from someone else may be required because of pain, fatigue or breathlessness.

During this period and for some months afterwards as they recover they are likely to remain severely immunosuppressed to a greater or lesser extent.

Mobility

Severe fatigue and reduced exercise tolerance related to any of the following may reduce the ability to walk:

• Chemotherapy treatment
• Anaemia

People who are immunocompromised will be advised to avoid crowded public places. Fatigue may mean that travel for example to hospital is difficult and a carer may need to accompany them.

Amended February 2009