• Clip
• Intensive care >> Intensive care: experiences of family & friends >> Aged 51-60 >> Interview 05 >> Their son felt they'd changed for the worse now that they were living more for the moment.

In 2003 his wife was involved in an accident in the home. He stayed at the hospital for two weeks while his wife was in the first ICU.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: experiences of family & friends >> Aged 51-60 >> Interview 19 >> No one in the family went to work, school or university during the first week because they felt they had to be at the bedside, even if there was nothi

Her brother had an accident while cleaning his motorbike. He had severe head injuries and spent almost four weeks in ICU, where she visited him daily.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: experiences of family & friends >> Aged 31-40 >> Interview 35 >> As well as visiting ICU she tried to keep life as normal as possible for her children and, somehow, found the energy to do both.

Her mother was admitted to ICU because of gallstones and other complications. She visited her every day, often with her two young daughters, and kept a diary.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: experiences of family & friends >> Aged 51-60 >> Interview 19 >> At the hospital she focussed on her brother's illness and on supporting his children. But, at home, when she could step back and think about what had

Her brother had an accident while cleaning his motorbike. He had severe head injuries and spent almost four weeks in ICU, where she visited him daily.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: experiences of family & friends >> Aged 51-60 >> Interview 36 >> Although he supported everyone else and didn't show his feelings, he also had sleepless nights worrying about his dad's illness.

His father went to ICU after having a stroke and developing pneumonia. Members of the family supported one another and he is now closer to his sister.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: experiences of family & friends >> Aged 41-50 >> Interview 03 >> Her husband's mother sat at her son's bedside so she could go back home, organise child care and make other practical arrangements before returning to

In 2004 her 17-year-old son was a passenger in a car that was involved in a serious accident. He spent 17 days in ICU.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: experiences of family & friends >> Aged 31-40 >> Interview 35 >> She was very honest with her two young daughters about their grandmother's illness and about how serious it was.

Her mother was admitted to ICU because of gallstones and other complications. She visited her every day, often with her two young daughters, and kept a diary.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: experiences of family & friends >> Aged 61-70 >> Interview 08 >> He and his son talked with ICU nurses and decided to let his son's nine-year-old and seven-year-old children visit their grandmother.

His wife was admitted to ICU after having complications during emergency surgery. During her time in hospital he had a lot of support from family and his local community.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: experiences of family & friends >> Aged 31-40 >> Interview 18 >> Her friend's son didn't understand how seriously ill his mother was until afterwards and stayed with his grandparents during that time.

Her best friend spent two weeks in ICU. She was the closest person to her, visited her daily and is now her main carer.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: experiences of family & friends >> Aged 51-60 >> Interview 19 >> When her brother had been in ICU for two weeks, she let her two children visit him in case he didn't survive or improve.

Her brother had an accident while cleaning his motorbike. He had severe head injuries and spent almost four weeks in ICU, where she visited him daily.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: experiences of family & friends >> Aged 41-50 >> Interview 17 >> She downplayed her husband's illness to her daughters because she didn't want hospital visiting to take over their lives as well.

Her husband was admitted to ICU because of a brain aneurysm. She spent eight weeks visiting him in two different hospitals, sometimes staying overnight.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: experiences of family & friends >> Aged 61-70 >> Interview 37 >> After one particularly traumatic day at the hospital, he was in such a turmoil that receiving an unexpected phone call at 11pm left him feeling devast

His wife spent 49 days in ICU because of severe lung problems. After her illness, he became involved in helping improve services for ICU patients.

• Topic
• Intensive care >> Intensive care: experiences of family & friends >> Impact on children >> Impact on children

Impact on children