Managing the Challenges of Brain Injury

Verity Healthcare recognise that many clients with brain injuries will have unique needs due to the different types of brain injuries.  That’s why our specialist team provide a range of specialist services that are unique and specifically focused on managing the effects and the challenges that our clients are faced with day to day. There are specialist services to address the effects of brain injuries such as:

• Cognitive impairment – A person suffering a brain injury can often have difficulties with their cognitive ability and reduces the ability of the brain to function properly.  This results in  problems with memory, attention, concentration, problem solving ability, visuospatial and self-monitoring.
• Emotional and behavioural disorder – The behaviour of the person who have had a brain injury may change dramatically to be different from the period prior to brain injury was sustained.  The change in emotions and behaviour can be one of the most difficult phases for family and friends to cope and manage.  The sufferers often act on impulses and they tend not to understand their behaviours and the consequences thereof. People with brain injury may become irritable, agitated,  depressed, anxious, impulsive aggressive  and sometimes very placid.  These mood swings and poor motivation expressed by people with brain damage can be difficult to manage.

• Physical Effects – Brain injury can result in restricted range of movement because of lack of control of the muscles in a person’s limbs, face and throat, which can affect their movement, speech and swallowing. In addition, brain damage can result in physical disabilities, spasm, dyspraxia, fatigue, imbalance and lack of coordination. These effect may cause a person to loss independence and lead to problems carrying out functional activities such as walking, feeding, eating and dressing.
• Communication Problems – Brain injury often leads to communication difficulties, for example aphasia, cognitive communication impairment and speech difficulties. Thus, the person with brain injury is often unable to communicate needs and preferences as comprehensibly as one would expect.
• Hormonal Imbalance – Hypopituitarism and global development delay may arise as a result of brain injuries. Brain injury often leads to diminished hormone secretion by the pituitary gland, causing dwarfism in children and premature ageing in adults.

At Verity Healthcare, we recognise that brain injury doesn’t just affect the individual but also affects the whole family. This means that the consequences of brain injury can be complex and difficult to manage. The person suffering from brain injury will often require rehabilitation from a specialist rehabilitation team in order to maximise their quality of life and ability to function to their maximum capability. This kind of support is often beyond the abilities of the families.

That’s why Verity Healthcare have not only developed the skills of and expertise of nurses and care workers to provide specialist care and support which meets specific individual needs but also support care packages integrated with the Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) working with each individual client. By working alongside neuropsychologists, physiotherapists, occupational therapist, speech and language therapists and case managers, our carers, support workers and nurses are able to  support the broader rehabilitation needs of the persons with brain injuries.

Verity Healthcare have been providing unique support and care to treat people with brain injuries for over past years and achieving better outcomes for over 20 people with brain injuries and their families. We understand that every person with brain injury has specific needs and that’s why we ensure that everyone has a unique support and care plan tailored to their needs.

We take time to understand how brain injuries effect the individual person and we’re able to deliver bespoke care and support packages to ensure that the needs of our clients and their families are met by alleviating  anxiety or confusion.

Before we start providing services, we take time to:

• Undertake thorough assessment of the needs of the person with brain injury, identify risks and how to address the risks
• Implement detailed care plan which is reviewed and revised regularly to enable all carers, support workers and nurses to provide unique services to meet specific needs
• Maintain full workforce who are highly competent to deliver the rotas so that clients know who will be supporting them on a daily basis well in advance
• Allocate specific care staff to specific clients based on shared personality and interests
• Keep carer, support workers and nurses to set shifts and days of each week to minimize disruption to routine which can lead to anxiety.

After implementing and providing care services, we undertake regular reviews of care services and make the necessary changes so that our services are relevant to the changing needs of the client. We encourage family members to participate in training courses that we run and offer the literature of brain injury to help them to further understand and manage the emotional and cognitive effects that the injury brings on individuals and families. Relatives are supported with practical steps to support the person with injury  with rehabilitation at home.

It’s our aim to address the consequences of the disability that brain injury brings as well as maximising the quality of life, functional abilities and independence through person-centred brain injury rehabilitation programmes.

At Verity Healthcare, we provide a wide range of services to give you choice so you can achieve your life goals. Our care assistants and registered nurses are able to help with:

• Personal care such as washing, bathing, dressing and applying lotions so you will look and feel your best and to avoid damage to your skin
• Reablement service to support you to relearn basic life skills such as positioning, walking, talking and recognition
• Manage prescribed medicines to ensure that you take medicines at the right time to improve your health
• Preparing meals and feedings to keep you healthy by receiving nourishment
• Help around the home such as laundry, ironing and cleaning so you continue to live in a hygienically clean environment
• Transfer and transportation in order to develop your confidence towards greater independence and involvement in the local community
• Much needed emotional support by providing listening ear and reassuring in finding solutions and sharing your worries.
• Emergency care, just in case your main carer becomes unwell or have to attend to other emergencies so you’re never without care
• Child care and support, especially helping children with brain injury or their relative who have injury so that they can adjust to the changes in their lives and that of their relative
• Respite care so that the main carers can have well-deserved rest

Our tailored support aims to help people maximise their potential for improvement so that they can enjoy fulfilling lives.