coping with brain injury

coping with brain injury | help and info

help and info

organisations

BASIC (Brain and Spinal Injury Charity)
Tel: 0161 707 6441
Helpline: 0870 750 0000
E-mail: enquiries@basiccharity.org.uk
Website: www.basiccharity.org.uk
BASIC provides a specialist resource at the Neurocare Centre for people and their families in crisis following a traumatic brain injury or neurological diagnosis. This includes people recovering from severe head injury, brain haemorrhage, brain tumour and other brain-related conditions such as stroke and brain cancer.

Brain and Spine Foundation
Tel: 020 7793 5900
Brain and Spine Helpline: 0808 808 1000 (Mon-Fri 9am-1pm; Wed 10am-6pm)
E-mail: helpline@brainandspine.org.uk
Website: www.brainandspine.org.uk
The Foundation was set up to develop research, education and information programmes aimed at improving the prevention, treatment and care of people affected by disorders of the brain and spine. They run the Brain and Spine Helpline, which is a service run by neuroscience nurses and other health professionals. The helpline covers all brain and spine conditions, from fairly common to the very rare, and can offer information and support on any medical or related social and emotional issues of concern.

Brain Injuries Rehabilitation Trust (BIRT)
E-mail: director@birt.co.uk
Website: www.birt.co.uk
BIRT featured in the Channel 4 documentary Put Me Together Again. They are Europe's largest independent provider of brain injury rehabilitation services, offering a wide range of specialist services including intensive rehabilitation, continuing rehabilitation and community support.

Child Brain Injury Trust (CBIT)
Tel: 01869 341075
Helpline: 0845 601 4939 (Mon-Weds, Fri 10am-1pm)
E-mail: helpline@cbituk.org
Supports children, young people and families affected by an acquired brain injury to enable them to achieve their potential. They do this by co-ordinating support groups across the UK, developing information resources, offering activity holiday for siblings and publications for families and professionals.

Headway: The Brain Injury Association
King Edward Street
Nottingham NG1 1EW
Tel: 0115 924 0800
Helpline: 0808 800 2244 (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm)
E-mail: helpline@headway.org.uk
Website: www.headway.org.uk
Promotes understanding of all aspects of brain injury and provides information, support and services to people with a brain injury, their family and carers. You can search on the website to find details of your local group or branch.

Neurological Alliance
www.neural.org.uk/pages/about/members.asp
An alliance of neurological charities which have come together to make life better for people in the UK with a neurological condition. The above page of their website features details of a very wide range of organisations that can offer help and assistance to people with a neurological condition. You can also download a free booklet entitled Getting the Best from Neurological Services.

Rehab UK
www.rehabuk.org
Aims to enhance the social and economic independence of people with disabilities. It provides vocational and community rehabilitation services to people with acquired brain injury, and also assessment and case management services. Theyy operate three brain injury centres in the UK - in Birmingham, London and Newcastle. A copy of The Brain Injury Handbook 2005 is available from their website (free for individuals).

United Kingdom Acquired Brain Injury Forum (UKABIF)
Royal Hospital for Neurodisability
West Hill
London SW15 3SW
Tel: 020 8780 4500 ext: 5140
E-mail: ukabif@rhn.org.uk
Website: www.ukabif.org.uk
A not-for-profit coalition of organisations and individuals that seeks to promote understanding of all aspects of Acquired Brain Injury and to provide information and expert input to policy makers, service providers and the general public to promote the interests of brain injured people and their families. The website includes a directory with searchable information on rehabilitation services for people with acquired brain injuries throughout the United Kingdom.

websites

Behavioural changes associated with brain injury
www.nanonline.org/nandistance/mtbi/modules/suppl/behav.html
Article examining the effects of a traumatic brain injury (TBI), including personality, cognitive and behavioural changes, psycho-social effects and the impact on family.

Brain Injury Association of Queensland
www.biaq.com.au/facts.htm
Factsheets covering a broad range of issues facing people with a head injury, their families, carers and associated professionals.

Brain Injury Check List
www.headinjury.com/checktbi.htm
A self-assessment tool from the US-based Brain Injury Resource Center. The checklist is designed to track and measure impairments as well as improvements over time. It can help identify neuropsychological difficulties that a patient may wish to discuss with their doctor.

Directory of Rehabilitation Services for Acquired Brain Injuries
www.ukabif.org.uk/directory/index.htm
Searchable information on rehabilitation services for people with acquired brain injuries throughout the United Kingdom. The directory is run by the United Kingdom Acquired Brain Injury Forum.

Find a Psychologist
www.bps.org.uk/e-services/find-a-psychologist/psychoindex.cfm
Online resource from the British Psychological Society which you can use to search for a psychologist offering psychological services to the public in your geographical area.

Managing Behavioural Problems after a Traumatic Brain Injury
http://main.uab.edu/tbi/...
Information designed to help people who are living or working with an individual with TBI to understand some of the behavioural problems they might exhibit. Includes advice on interacting with individuals with TBI and dealing with temper outbursts and socially inappropriate behaviour.

Recovering from Brain Injury
www.brain-train.com/articles/recoveri.htm
Article by Judith Falconer about rehabilitation from brain injury. She describes the points which may to help family members understand head injury and the ways in which recovery can be maximised.

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
www.neurologychannel.com/tbi
Online factsheet from the Neurology Channel including information on symptoms, causes, risk factors, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis.

reading

	Brain Injury and Returning to Employment: A Guide for Practitioners by James Japp (Jessica Kingsley, 2004) Provides a clear overview of the cognitive and psychological difficulties associated with brain injury and discusses how people affected can prepare for and remain in employment. The author examines the environmental, emotional, physical and psychological barriers to work reintegration and offers a range of solutions. Get this book

	Communication Disorders Following Traumatic Brain Injury by Skye McDonald, Leanne Togher and Chris Code (Eds) (Psychology Press, 2000) A comprehensive source of contemporary approaches to the communication problems of people with traumatic brain injury. This volume will be of interest to psychologists, speech pathologists, therapists and linguists working with people with TBI. Get this book

	Head Injury: The Facts by D Gronwall, P Wrightson and P Waddell (OUP, 1998) Explains the effects of head injury in non-technical terms and, where possible, describes practical ways of overcoming these effects. As well as the direct effects on the victim, the book also examines the ways that head trauma can affect families and friends. Get this book

	Living with Brain Injury by Philip Fairclough (Jessica Kingsley, 2002) A candid description of the author's long and painful process of recovery after suffering brain damage resulting from a fall. His account tells of the struggle to come to terms with his injury, the hurdles he faced while in a rehabilitation centre, the difficulties of readapting to family life, and finally the emergence of his new career as a writer. Get this book

	The Brain Injury Workbook: Exercises for Cognitive Rehabilitation by Trevor Powell (Speechmark Publishing, 1999) This comprehensive workbook contains cognitive rehabilitation exercises and information sheets on key problem areas, designed to educate and stimulate thinking and discussion. Primarily for professionals, the workbook can also be used by carers or family members to provide stimulating activities for a head-injured person. Get this book