Headway Somerset helping to improve the quality of life for those with brain injury
Local charity, Headway Somerset runs three Brain Injury Outreach Units at Yeovil, Bridgwater and Henton. Over a hundred adults who have suffered from acquired brain injury are now benefiting from individually tailored rehabilitation programmes which facilitate personal development, independence and self esteem in order to help clients re-acquire the necessary skills to lead as normal and independent a life as possible.
There is no standard brain injury. Every case is individual and each person who has sustained a brain injury has unique physical, intellectual and rehabilitation problems. The effects of the brain injury are unique to each person and consequently there cannot be a standard treatment. This is why brain injury can be such a complex issue bringing a whole range of cognitive, behavioural, emotional and physical problems. Someone with a brain injury may have severe memory problems, an inability to undertake simple tasks, lack of concentration, have very flat emotions and/or act inappropriately. Additionally, many suffer physical disabilities due to the brain injury and can have speech, visual and mobility problems. This means that the Headway team have to provide a highly individualised service.
Sadly, it is often the families who take most of the strain at home as a brain injury can affect them as much as the person with the condition. The burden of care often places the family unit under severe pressure. Headway consider families to be very important in their work with the focus to keep families together – a person with a brain injury, but without a family, will often be unable to cope.
‘The Pathway Project’ provides purposeful supported community based learning and work experiences to young adults with brain injury. Clients from across Somerset have taken part in joint activities including painting, photography, sensory garden projects and IT. By developing partnerships with other organisations in Somerset, learners have accessed new community facilities and initiated new interests which will develop and continue in the future.
Like most charities, Headway is always looking for support from the local community either by making donations, offering services in kind or becoming a volunteer. A number of events are taking place during the year including the Hollywood Nights Ball & Awards Ceremony’ at Somerset County Cricket Club on Friday 21st May.
Further information about the work of Headway Somerset and how people can get involved can be obtained by contacting Headway’s office on 01278 434697 or visit the web site www.headwaysomerset.org.uk.