It was February 2016 when Dad had the accident. He was only 57 when he fell at work and suffered a compressed skull fracture. It was a catastrophic brain injury and they didn’t anticipate that he would even survive the air lift to the hospital.

Dad then spent 15 months in hospital, but wasn’t making any progress with his rehabilitation. He is quite a private man, and being on a large and noisy ward made him uncomfortable.

From the hospital he was moved to a nursing home, but they didn’t have the right rehabilitation facilities that Dad needed so he still didn’t make much progress in that area.

"Cuerden Hall is comfortable and comforting"

We’d known about Sue Ryder Cuerden Hall because our Mum used to be a cleaner here, but at first we didn’t know that it would be an option for Dad. Nicola, the Head of Care, helped us to navigate everything, which was big deal for us because up until that point we’d had to work out a lot for ourselves.

We wanted to get the right type of care for Dad; to find something in the right setting – somewhere he was comfortable – and that place is definitely here.

The first time we came to have a look round, it immediately felt like home. The general aura of the place is comfortable and comforting, especially compared to the hospital and nursing home where they could only do the bare minimum and weren’t rehabilitation focused.

"It is great for us to know that the staff are all rooting for him"

Every time we see Dad now, he is able to do something new, speak more clearly or can move in a way he couldn't before. When he first came here, the movement on his right side was very limited and one of the biggest things they’ve done is to help him to remember half of his body.

It is great for us to know that the staff are all rooting for him; the whole environment is so positive.

By involving him in general discussions about the centre and actually listening to him, they are allowing Dad some autonomy over his circumstances, which is key when you’ve had so much of that removed as he has.

"The little ones can come and play so Dad can be a Grandad again"

There are activities that Dad can get involved in if he wants to and, because he loves being outside, staff take him out into the park where he has made friends with all of the dog walkers. In his old place, they would just park him at the window and that was as close as he’d get to the outside world.

We both have three young children and living here has meant that Dad can be a Grandad again. What’s nice about this place is that the little ones are allowed to play – just as they would if this were Grandad’s flat – and that just wasn’t an option where he was living before.

When we come here, it’s like coming to his ‘home’ and when we have to go we always feel comfortable leaving him here. We never had that feeling with his nursing home.

Dad is 100% happier living here than where he was before. It is everything that we had hoped for and more; it’s just so nice to know that he is now living somewhere residential where he feels that he has a future.