brain injury Archives - Brainstreams

Shining a Light on Brain Injury

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

JUNE 1, 2021

Shining a light on brain injury in Canada

VICTORIA, BRITISH COLUMBIA – June is Brain Injury Awareness Month in Canada. 452 Canadians suffer a serious traumatic brain injury every day. This amounts to nearly one person every 3 minutes, equaling almost 165,000 serious brain injuries per year. This does not include concussions, non-traumatic brain injuries, military injuries, or unreported cases.

The results of a recent survey conducted by Canadian brain injury associations revealed that approximately 61% of respondents found general lack of awareness about brain injury a key issue. These results demonstrate that we need to work harder to shine a light on the prevalence and intersectionality of brain injury.

Through multiple digital platforms and events, Canadian brain injury associations are working […]

Research Study: The Experiences of Self-Identity, Self-Awareness, and Occupational Engagement in Individuals with Traumatic Brain Injury

Dr. Julia Schmidt, PhD, BSC (OT) is the Principal Investigator of a new research study on the experiences of self-identity, self-awareness, and occupational engagement in individuals with traumatic brain injury.

Are you interested in sharing your experiences of life after traumatic brain injury? If so, your involvement includes completing five questionnaires and an intereview. Click here to view a larger image.

The questionnaires will take approximately 45 minutes and will ask you about:

demographic data (example: age)
issues related to your injury
how you perceive yourself
your abilities
your daily activities

The interview will take approximately 40 to 60 minutes and will ask you about:

your injury
how you perceive yourself
your […]

The Compassionate Voice

A little compassion and kindness go a long way in life. This is especially true with brain injury. The aftermath of brain injury impacts everyone. It affects the individual in significant ways. It brings change to a family on many levels, and it has extraordinary consequences for the spouse or partner.

Brain injury shrouds the entire family with a cloak of uncertainty and aloneness. Everyone is met with the challenge of rebuilding life, often from ground zero. This is incredibly difficult when the outside world’s perception is “you look like the same family, so behave like the same family.” It takes courage, resiliency, stick-to-itiveness, and most of all, self-compassion to keep putting one […]

Update on the BC Recovery Benefit and people receiving Ministry assistance

FEBRUARY 18, 2021 by DABC

DABC has been informed that clients currently receiving Ministry assistance (PWD, Income Assistance, Hardship Assistance), will automatically receive the BC Recovery Benefit – there is now no need to apply for the BC Recovery Benefit separately.

The following information comes directly from the Ministry:

“As of February 2021, the BC Recovery Benefit will be automatically paid to people on income, disability or hardship assistance and people receiving the senior’s supplement who were receiving assistance by the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction (SDPR) in December 2020 or January 2021.

• SDPR clients will receive the full BC Recovery Benefit amounts of $500 for single people an $1,000 for single-parent families and two-parent families.

• SDPR clients will […]

Jeff’s Journey: How a family survives a stroke

Jeff Palmer was affected by a stroke at age 37. As a husband, father of two boys, working a job he loved and coaching baseball for his kids, the impacts the stroke had on his life were numerous. Three years after the stroke, Jeff is still adjusting to physical mobility challenges, working on regaining verbal communication, nourishing his personal relationships and trying to keep his spirits up. The Palmers have experienced a challenging road with all the changes but they are committed to working through Jeff’s stroke recovery together. Thanks to programs like Hope After Stroke offered by Langley Community Support Groups Society, Jeff continues to improve his mobility with group physical exercise and activities. He […]

Brain injury recovery resource list: new services have been added

Searching for services to support recovery from a brain injury can be overwhelming. We’ve created an online list of resources to help people recovering from brain injury access the supports they need. You can find this list of 300+ services (we call it a “Repository” for short) by clicking on the Resources menu item. You can search for information on a wide variety of helpful services ranging from support groups to rehab services, to housing options and financial assistance. We have also included services that help individuals return to life, such as […]