Website: Four building blocks for IC recovery (also for COVID-19)
Around 80.000 people are yearly hospitalized at an ICU. Due to good care, survival chances are increasing. But when people return to their homes, they still experience all kind of problems. While they only want one thing: to live a normal life as soon as possible. And that’s far from easy. A new website assists people with their recovery after an ICU admission. And because many people who went through a period of COVID-19 recognizes themselves in these problems, this website is also very valuable for them.
Vierkeerbeter.nl
A video library as a practical home care tool
The Dutch website vierkeerbeter.nl (‘four times better’) pays attention to the most common problems after a period at an ICU. People can experience problems with swallowing, concentration issues and loss of smell and taste. For each topic questions are answered in short video movies from different angles. An intensivist, a chief cook and a dietician give their advice and practical tricks and tips.
Video URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6WtiBuljHw
The story of a Dutch lady Daphne Bolman – who stayed at an ICU for almost three months is impressive. ‘I ate zingy lemons if it were apples. My taste was so different, very strange. But for me, it felt as if it was normal. I had to learn to have trust again in my own body. Trust that I could stand without falling of trust to just hold a cup of tea’.
Four times better
The name of the website vierkeerbeter.nl (four times better) refers to the four building blocks you need for recovery: you need
- building blocks to regain your muscle strength
- building blocks for energy
- building blocks to reinforce your resistance and movement
- exercise to regain your vitality.
These four building blocks together will take care that you feel or become better, and that’s why the name ‘fourtimesbetter’ was chosen. On this website, people can collect the information and hints that contribute to their recovery on the themes that apply to them.
Target groups for this website
First of all, people who are recovering from a stay at an ICU and also their caregivers. Also, people who went through a period of COVID-19 belong to the target groups for this website as well as those who are recovering from oncology and people with undernutrition.
And secondly, the group of professionals (doctors, dieticians, physical therapists surrounding people who are recovering from a stay at an ICI.
Who developed this website
The website fourtimesbetter was developed by the Dutch Platform Patients and Food, the Foundation Food & Well-being, chef-cook Eric-Jan Wissink, IC Connect, Dietheek and producer Eva Boon.
An English website
Now this Dutch website has been developed, the designers are looking to get in touch with sponsors who have an interest in transforming this website into a website that is accessible for English speaking persons in the first place. Other languages are also possible. If you want to get in touch with the designers, you can contact Cees Smit of the Dutch Platform Patients & Food at info@smitvisch.nl
