Community pathways open for patients with difficult rehabilitation journey

For many patients who come to the Brighton Brain Injury Service the journey following their injuries can be a long and difficult one.

Due to the great work of the rehabilitation team at Brighton and the unwavering strength of their families, many patients are now returning home or to the community with support following their rehabilitation.

Father of two, Mark, was one of those success stories, following a severe brain haemorrhage while on a family holiday to Disneyland.

After a long stay in Intensive Care and a lengthy time in rehabilitation, Mark finally returned home to his wife and young family to a newly built home and equipment that allowed for his care needs.

Mark’s wife, Gaby, was pleased to see Mark achieve some simple goals, like being able to eat by himself and thanked all of the staff who helped Mark return home.

“He suffered many setbacks during his recovery, required further surgery and high intensity therapy at times to help him do simple things like eating by himself,” Gaby said.

“Thank you to all of the staff at Brighton who helped Mark return home, they have worked very hard to get him safely discharged.”

Nursing Director Maria Podger said during Mark’s time in BBIS, significant changes had occurred including the introduction of the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

“Recently, we changed the model of care delivered within the service to allow for more focused therapies and improved flow of patients in and out of rehabilitation,” she said.

“Patients are now transitioning out of their rehabilitation into a community pathway which focuses on preparation for discharge.”

In 2020, a record number of more than 30 Brighton Brain Injury Service patients have been safely discharged to either supported accommodation in the community, back home to live with family or transferred to shared accommodation with the appropriate support services. Caption: It’s been a difficult journey for Mark, Gaby and her children Fernanda, Juan and Jesus, but it is great to see them all back together as a family following the help of the team at the Brighton Brain Injury Service.

Chris’s story

Christopher Brace sustained a severe brain injury as a result of a pedestrian accident. After spending approximately three months in Intensive Care, Christopher came to the Brighton Brain Injury Service (BBIS), while still with a low level of consciousness.

Chris had extensive support from his family and through their involvement with the multidisciplinary team at BBIS, Chris gradually improved to be able to actively engage in therapy.

Chris progressed to being able to feed himself with support, recovered the ability to communicate, talk and joke with his family and is now able to stand and walk short distances with one person and an aide.

After a 12 month stay at the Brighton Brain Injury Service Chris was discharged home to live with his family, something they had not initially thought would be possible.

Compliment from Chris’s Grandparents

“Not being able to personally thank you in the current climate has led me to write this letter to express the family’s gratitude to all the staff at Brighton Brain Injury Service (BBIS).

When beginning this note I thought to myself that I don’t know people’s surnames and then I realised that it didn’t matter because BBIS is like one big family unit, all working together with one united purpose – the wellbeing of the clients and their families.

The cleaners, therapists, allied health assistants, nursing staff, administration members, kitchen staff, etc. all play their role. How blessed we were to have Chris be given a placement here for his rehabilitation and to be designated Kym as his case manager.

Thank you to Maria for inviting my input in certain matters and for allowing me to tinker with the pots at the entrance as well as in the garden. For me plants represent new life and growth and that is what has been given to Chris from being here – new life and the potential for more growth.

The family is eternally grateful for our time spent at BBIS. We wish you every success, particularly with the garden project.”