A brain injury is damage to the structure and workings of the brain.

An acquired brain injury may have been caused by an event such as:

  • Sub-arachnoid haemorrhage
  • Head trauma e.g. assault or road traffic accident
  • Infection e.g. encephalitis or meningitis
  • Lack of oxygen to the brain due to a medical emergency e.g. heart attack
  • Non progressive tumour

Brain injuries can affect bodies and mental functions including:- 

  • Body movement
  • Senses - what you see, hear, smell,taste
  • Eating and drinking
  • Speech production, language comprehension, conversation and social skills
  • Thinking skills including concentration, memory, problem solving and reasoning
  • Personality, emotions and behaviour

A brain injury can also affect your roles and relationships with family, friends and work colleagues.

Each person is affected differently depending on the severity, type and place of injury. Some effects can improve, some efefcts are long lasting. This can be unpredictable at times. 

We are a specialist team who work together to help you reach your rehabilitation goals. Our team includes:

  • Case managers
  • Occupational therapists
  • Psychologists
  • Physiotherapists
  • Speech and language therapists
  • Rehabilitation assistants

When you’re referred to us, we’ll call you on the phone to ask you some questions and find out if we’re the right service to help you. If we think we can help you, we’ll invite you in for an appointment.

Your 1st face to face appointment could be with any member of our team. During the appointment, we’ll ask you some questions about your circumstances and rehabilitation needs so we can assess how we might be able to support you.

If you’re accepted onto the service, you’ll be invited to a 2nd appointment with the relevant specialists. During this appointment, we’ll discuss your rehab goals in more detail and come up with programme to help you reach those goals. Some examples of goals might be:

  • Returning to work
  • Returning to driving
  • Building confidence to go out
  • Becoming more independent
  • Adapting to permanent injuries or difficulties
  • Carrying out activities such as cooking, washing and dressing

Following this appointment, you may be referred to other specialists within our team to help you with your rehabilitation. If you need additional support e.g. in your home, a nursing home or elsewhere, your case manager will explore what’s available and find the right help for you

ABIS

The Coppice

The Carleton Clinic

Carlisle

CA1 3SX

01228 602155

 

ABIS

Bridge Mills

Stramongate 

Kendal

LA9 4UB

01539 718118

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Link to Headway

To be added