Road to recovery: Carol gets confidence back with charity’ s support

Carol, 62, who lives in Bridge of Don in Aberdeen, suffered a stroke a year ago. Along with the physical effects of the stroke, her ability to process numbers and to read and write was affected.

She lost so much confidence she stopped leaving the house, even to go into the garden. The only activity she felt capable of was taking her dog, Pancho, out for very short walks. When she met Sue Ryder’s senior support worker, Stacey, for the first time, Carol said she was not prepared for everyday challenges, and as she did not feel confident enough to leave the house, she didn’t feel part of her community. She did not feel worthy of help, believing “there must be other people out there who would need help more”.

But, after spending a bit of time together, Carol decided she wanted to focus on getting out during the day, go to see the school nearby being built and walk to the Sterling furniture store for a coffee. With Stacey’s support, Carol went for short walks, gradually building up her strength and confidence. She managed to travel a bit further every week and when she made it to the shop, she couldn’t believe it.

Along the way, she received her personal independence payment (PIP) benefits form and was anxious about completing it because of the impact the stroke had on her ability to read, write and deal with numbers. However, after being introduced to Cash in your Pocket, an Aberdeen-based charity which helps people with financial wellbeing, Carol got her form completed. Gradually, she started going into her back garden and having a look around. Then, one day, she found herself sweeping up, and digging out old flower beds: she now has four lovely plants to show off.

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