Table 5 Illustrative quotes for Theme 4 – The importance of support

P10 (65–69 years, multiple arm fractures)

‘It’s good to have support, that’s the main thing. I feel sorry for people that don’t have support … I have a daughter who was wonderful … so, I had that support with her, and I had some nice friends around that gave me support. That helped a lot’.

P2 (80–85 years, upper & lower limb injuries)

‘It has been a big change [for my wife]. Obviously, it’s been a worry... she does drive me around more than she used to... [and] she’s been helping me with getting my shirt on and everything’

P4 (70–74 years, fractured sternum)

‘I suffer from benign vertigo and I’d been bending over, packing a lot of boxes and I kept having minor attacks of it … I had a friend; they would stand me up beside a chair with a box on it and they’d put everything on the table so I wouldn’t have to bend over and I wouldn’t have to lift … it was really lovely’.

P2 (80–85 years, upper & lower limb injuries)

‘I’ve found people very, very helpful actually... on one occasion someone came up to me and said, “I’ve seen you standing there for a while. Do you need any help?”’

P7 (65–69, mild traumatic brain injury)

‘[Psychologically] I think there’s stuff lingering there. Yeah, I think there’s an aftermath. [I’d prefer to] just not think about it. There’s nothing he [GP] could do. [Laughs] there’s nothing he would do’.

P8 (75–79 years, mild traumatic brain injury, arm movement limitation)

‘[my GP is] a good doctor but he doesn’t seem to think that women are very useful [laughs]’

P5 (70–74 years, leg injuries)

‘[I injured] my legs which [the doctors] never, ever did a thing for in hospital. All they were worrying about was the other injuries that weren’t visible … they said, “Don’t worry about [your legs], that’s your last problem”. I thought it is not the last problem, if there’s nothing wrong with my heart, I need my legs … I think if I’d had treatment on my legs earlier, I wouldn’t be in this pain and suffering now’.

P1 (70–74 years, whiplash)

‘just after the accident I had quite a few falls... I went to Stepping On and did that program and I’ve only had one fall since then’.

P2 (80–85 years, arm / leg injuries):

‘it did affect my attitude crossing the road, and particularly in crowds …. the insurance company has paid for some counselling … … so I’m not too bad there.’

P1 (70–74 years, whiplash)

‘It was just an annoying pain continuously … … the insurance company agreed to physio, and then they cut the physio out and I’ve been in pain ever since … my solicitor said everything should be straight forward, that they were making a claim and I should get money to go and continue with physio’.

P1 (70–74 years, whiplash)

‘[One thing that I will say, I’m very annoyed with the other driver’s insurance company]...[they] sent me to see another orthopaedic surgeon and he said there was problems on … not the left hand side but the right hand side, which was totally not right … and now … I got a letter … … I’ve got to see another orthopaedic surgeon. And then a psychologist’.

P2 (80–85 years, arm / leg injuries)

‘When I’m out socially I find I’m using taxis quite a lot. Which is a bit of an expense. So, anything to do with the accident I can claim back. But going off to do a bit of ordinary shopping I can’t obviously’.

P1 (70–74 years, whiplash)

‘It’s all public transport or my wife will drive me or my step-daughter or my daughter will come and pick me up... if they are not available, I just get public transport. It’s only about a six minute walk to the railway station. And there’s plenty of buses around’.

P2 (80–85 years, upper & lower limb injuries)

‘Where we live it’s quite well served by buses … if it stops at the normal stops it’s not a big problem. But the other day... I ended up being hauled into the bus by the bus driver and pushed into the bus by a passer-by... yes, it’s not too good for morale that. But it does work’.