Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) often leads to many changes for the individual, their family and friends. Many people who have experienced ABI report feeling as though they have become a different person since their injury, and this difference can be magnified by the reflected perceptions of the people around them.
Physical, cognitive, behavioural and / or emotional changes can also lead to changes in identity, roles, relationships, the ability to manage personal and household tasks, and in community access and participation. Managing these changes is not an easy process. It takes time, support from others and can mean learning new ways of doing many everyday activities, or even accepting assistance with a task that may have previously been completed independently.
Recovery from ABI may be thought of as a journey towards a new self, a shift in personal identity which may involve:
- Adaptation to changed abilities
- Re-definition of relationships
- Finding new roles and activities in which to participate
- Exploration of new ways to make life enjoyable and fulfilling.
Planning ahead
Exploring accommodation and support options is recommended once rehabilitation begins. Appropriate options are often scarce so it pays to look ahead and plan early. Points to consider include:
- The level and type of support needed
- The funding available to the person, including NDIS and Centrelink
- The family’s social support network
- Services available in the area
- Local amenities in the area (e.g. parks, cafes, restaurants, cinemas, shopping centres, chemists).
Supported Accommodation (Specialist Disability Accommodation)
Supported accommodation is a residence in the community where support workers provide the required amount of support and supervision.
As an NDIS participant, you may be eligible for SDA if you are over 18 years old, have a functional impairment or high support needs, require a home with accessibility modifications and have a reasonable and necessary need to access SDA.
At Sapphire Support, we work closely with you, with our support worker team, to identify your specific care requirements and help you access the services and support you need. We also have a newly built specialist disability accommodation home in Nambour that is tailored to the needs of participants with high and complex care requirements.
To enquire about availability and to put forward an expression of interest at our SDA home, please contact Wes (nco@sapphiresupport.com.au).
Understanding ABI, the effects and what extra support is available
If you would like the opportunity to learn more about ABI, please come along to our next event on May 18th from 10-11am at Sapphire Support (1/42 Owen Creek Road, Forest Glen).
The Sapphire Family welcome Synapse (Australia’s Brain Injury Organisation) who will be delivering lots of value add content around understanding ABI (a general overview), common causes and effects and how to best support someone who has a brain injury through their service offerings.
The session will run for 20 minutes followed by Q&A opportunities at the end. Tea and coffee will be provided.
This is a free event – and open to support co-ordinators, allied health professionals, support workers, families and individuals.
Due to limited seating, please register your interest by clicking here to reserve your spot.
We look forward to seeing you there for a fun, informative and collaborative morning!
**If you are not able to make it in person, please register your interest to attend via Zoom:
Register in advance for this meeting:
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJElcu2pqzsjGtJ89F7cgUateYSLcMbkXgHe
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
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