What is a neurological condition?

A neurological condition is one that affects someone’s brain or nervous system. They can affect movement, communication, behaviour and mental health.

Anyone can get a neurological condition at any time. Some, like cerebral palsy, are present from birth. Others, such as multiple sclerosis, motor neurone disease and Parkinson's disease, can develop at any stage in life. Some can be caused by injury, like a head injury or stroke, or illness, for example tumours of the brain and spine.

Many neurological conditions are life-changing because they cause long-term disability and can severely affect people’s ability to live independently. Some conditions improve over time with the right care and rehabilitation, and others may get worse until the person dies.

What is neurological care?

Neurological care is the specialist care and support given to people with a condition that affects their brain or nervous system. It focuses on health, wellbeing and supporting people to live their lives as fully as possible.

People with neurological conditions often have complex needs as their condition can affect their movement, communication, behaviour and mental health.

Neurological care can include long-term residential care, day, community and homecare, respite and rehabilitation services depending on people’s needs and choices. It can be provided by different professionals including nurses, physiotherapists, speech and language therapists and healthcare assistants.

Find out more about a career in neurological care as part of our expert team

By offering the right care and rehabilitation, neurological care can support people with a brain injury to regain their skills and independence.

For people with a neurological condition that may get worse over time, neurological care can help with everything from easing physical symptoms, to coming to terms with their feelings and providing highly-skilled residential care including end of life care when the time comes.

Who provides the specialist neurological care and support at Sue Ryder?

We understand the fear and worry that can come with a neurological condition, and we aim for everyone whose life we touch to feel safe and in control, and to be as well as they can. All of our care and support is provided by Sue Ryder healthcare professionals who are experts in neurological care.

Our teams include nurses, psychologists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, and healthcare assistants. We can help with everything from easing physical symptoms, to coming to terms with feelings.

Our healthcare teams are privileged to be there for you when it matters to give you the care and support you need. By focusing on health, wellbeing, and what each person can do, not what they can’t, we support people to live their lives as fully as possible.

Our staff have training and expertise in the specialist skills that are needed to promote people’s health and wellbeing, from supporting someone to maintain their mobility or independence, to providing specialist tracheotomy care to help them breathe.

They help with activities of daily living and personal care such as washing, dressing and going to the toilet. And they work closely with the other health professionals on the team to maximise people’s independence – whether that means enabling someone to manage their own medication or supporting them to develop the skills they need to live independently.

Sue Ryder staff never forget that everyone we care for is unique, and they go the extra mile to work with people and their families to understand their needs and aspirations. Sometimes it’s as simple as helping someone with their make-up, at other times it’s as important as helping someone attend their daughter’s wedding.

Find out more about a career in neurological care as part of our expert team

Our nurses are there when it matters to give each person the individual care and support they need to live their life to the fullest.