Varying Levels of Adapting and Being Resourceful
Several patients spoke of the transition back to normalcy following discharge, voicing concerns over employment, leading to some patients adapting by prioritizing finances over their health. A patient noted, “On one hand, I feel like I shouldn’t be rushing that much to get back to work, but on the other hand I have clients that need followed up on and if I don’t follow up on them, then someone else will and I lose out on the commission” (08, patient, income unknown). The fear of losing employment or income made the respondent claim that “I was still calling some of them from the hospital.” (08, patient, income unknown).Patients also adapted through supplementing public system support with caregiver support, private services, and through other various means such as budgeting or saving equipment for future use. For instance, one respondent voiced, “Thank God I have a sister who helps me. Because like when I first came home, I couldn’t do anything” (07, low-income patient). Whereas, other patients sought private services to meet their needs, as one patient claimed, “No, its private [physiotherapy], at [a different location]. I wouldn’t go back to [name of hospital he was an inpatient], let’s put it this way.” (16, higher income patient). Similarly, some patients found it helpful to budget to stretch their income to ensure all necessities are paid for, to hold on to equipment that was expensive in case it was needed later, or to choose cheaper food options in order to keep costs down. “I’ve been sorting out money, making sure I have enough money in the bank to pay the rent” (04, higher income patient). Not all patients were able to adapt, with some just accepting it, and as a result, described the transition process as, “I am having a hard time [coping] with everything if I am honest with you” (05, patient, income unknown). Support from family, friends, or community members was more commonly reported among individuals with low income or those who preferred not to respond to income category than individuals in the higher income group. Individuals in the lower income group often mentioned not worrying about having money to pay for medications due to government subsidies.