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The Journey Begins
Home & Recovery
Friends & Family
Housing
Returning to Activities
The Journey Continues
The Journey Ahead
This space is for survivors, family members, friends, and caregivers to learn about brain injury, and to find suitable and appropriate supports, information about additional services, funding sources, and more.
The Journey Begins
The beginning of your journey may seem overwhelming and uncertain. We are here to help you navigate the path of healing and recovery. It is our hope that you, your family, friends, and caregivers will find the appropriate health care professionals and resources you need.
From Hospital to Home
I have recently been released from hospital and have a diagnosis of a brain injury. Where do I find support?

Non-Hospitalized
I fell and hit my head a few days ago. I didn’t go to the hospital or seek medical attention. I am dizzy and experiencing headaches. Do I have a concussion?
We are not able to provide medical advice or make a diagnosis, but we can encourage you to visit a local clinic, your physician, or an emergency room to be assessed properly.

Home & Recovery
Every brain injury is different. This means the needs of an individual will vary. There are many things to consider when you are home and recovering. We hope our topics here will provide the guidance you are seeking.
Funding Resources
I have a brain injury and need help but have no funding. Where do I go for help?

Specialized Services
What are specialized services?
Specialized services include occupational therapy, speech language pathology, computer-based technology, mobility services, counselling, and more.

Compensatory Services
I have heard the terms compensatory strategies and compensatory services. What do they mean?
Compensatory strategies are intended to assist an individual in performing tasks using adaptive aids and/or finding alternative ways to do things. Compensatory strategies assist with impairment in attention, memory, executive functioning and/or other cognitive skills as identified in rehabilitation goals.
Compensatory Services would include agencies to support a person with hearing, vision, life skills and more.
A good place to begin locating rehabilitation providers who provide compensatory services is our Resources page.
For more information on Compensatory Strategies, visit our Healing Brain page.

Friends & Family
Family and friends are important in a survivor’s journey of rehabilitation and recovery. The impact of brain injury can profoundly affect relationships. The intention of this section is to provide support to family and friends and to foster all relationships.
Connections
The roles and responsibilities shift in a family following a brain injury. Sometimes the stress of what is happening, and/or the changes in the family cause connections to become strained. Although it takes effort, heart-to-heart connections can be restored.

Fostering relationships
How can I foster and nourish my relationship with my loved one who is living with a brain injury?

Communication
Effective communication is important in all relationships. When life becomes stressful, communication can breakdown. Whether you are rebuilding connections, or fostering and nourishing existing relationships, or looking to develop new relationships, good communication will be key.

Housing
Everyone deserves a safe, affordable, home regardless of income level, or needs. To determine existing housing and availability in your community, visit our resource section here.
Permanent /Transitional /Suitable & Affordable
If you are looking for housing after your brain injury, there are a variety of models to research. Permanent or market rent – if you have stable income and either do not require supports where you live, or you are able to hire supports privately to come into your apartment or home.
Transitional Housing – these are program-based housing and usually include some supports. Tenancy is based on three years or less.

Rent Subsidies
Does BC have a rent subsidy program? If so, how do I find out if I am eligible to apply?
British Columbia has a rental assistance program for families whose income (before tax) is $40,000 or less, per year.

BC Housing/Non-Profit
Does BC Housing provide supportive housing?
Supportive Housing assists individuals who are either homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. This type of housing is for young folks, seniors, and for individuals with physical or mental disabilities. Trained support workers are matched with individuals to work alongside them to customize their personal and housing goals.

Accessible Housing/Modifications
I need to make modifications to my home. Is there funding available to help with this?
If you have a low-income and require home adaptations for independent living, you may qualify for a rebate through the BC Rebate for Accessible Home Adaptations (BC RAHA) program.

Returning to Activities
Rehabilitation and recovery can feel like a long, drawn-out process. It’s normal to want to get back to doing all the things you loved before being injured; however, moving ahead too quickly is not beneficial. We hope our guidance here will assist you in planning a future of meaningful activity whether it is employment, volunteering, going back to school, or recreation and sports.
Returning to Work
Returning to work is not a goal for everyone. Working provides income and meaningful activity, as well as structure and social opportunities. If returning to work is your goal, a carefully timed plan to ensure success is needed.

Vocational Rehabilitation
What is vocational rehabilitation and how can it help me?
Vocational rehabilitation is an individualized employment program to help eliminate barriers for individuals with cognitive, emotional, or physical disabilities. Services may include counselling, training, job placement and other services to support a successful return-to-work and employment retention.

Returning to School
I want to go back to school. Are there any programs specializing in cognitive impairment?
Going back to school may be an option for you. Much like returning to work, returning to school requires a well thought-out plan. All post-secondary institutions in BC have a disability or accessibility services department. They will work 1:1 with students to ensure their needs for education and work/life goals are met.

Volunteerism
I cannot return to work, so I am thinking about volunteering. What are the benefits?
Whether you cannot return to work, or it’s time to retire, volunteering is a win-win for both the volunteer and the agency. As an individual, volunteering provides socializing, opportunities to learn new skills, and provides a boost to our emotional health. Volunteers help to strengthen organizations and assist in carrying out the purpose or mandate.

Recreation & Sports
When can I return to sports and recreational activities?
There are many emotional and physical benefits to returning to sports and recreational activities. It’s always important to discuss returning to the activities you love with your physician, healthcare provider, and/or medical team. Every brain injury is different so the timing will vary from person to person.
To find resources in your community to assist with sports and recreation, type in your postal code and key words here.

The Journey Continues
Recovery is a process. The journey for each person will be different. What a person needs today may be different than what they need in six months, one year, or ten years from now. As your journey continues, visit this section to suitable resources.
Online Resources
We invite you to visit Brainstreams often as we continually update our resource listings.
Brain Injury Associations:
To locate a Brain Injury Association in your area, visit our resource page and type in your postal code.

Support Groups
Support groups specific to brain injury survivors, family, or caregivers are valuable resources. Connecting with others who share a lived experience is helpful in understanding the journey you are on and in learning useful strategies to move forward.

Specialized Services
Specialized services could include occupational therapy, speech language pathology, computer-based technology, mobility services, counselling, and more. Check Brainstreams resource page to find services in your area.

Supportive Resources
Specialized services could include occupational therapy, speech language pathology, computer-based technology, mobility services, counselling, and more. Check Brainstreams resource page to find services in your area.

Seeking More Brain Related Resources?
The information found on our site is intended to serve brain injury survivors, their family and friends, as well as healthcare practitioners. Use our website as an educational guide. It is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
We encourage those recovering from a brain injury to connect with their local brain injury organization in order to get the support and services they are seeking . We have an excellent Resources Page, which allows you to search for resources by location.