Helpful resources for families and loved ones
Here are some resources you may find helpful at different stages of the journey with your loved one with TBI.
- Access to medical and rehabilitation services
If your family member is not accessing any rehabilitation services, you need to discuss this with their GP. Below are some places that can be accessed for medical and rehabilitation services in Western Australia.
Trauma Service at Royal Perth Hospital
This is an acute service which provides inpatient care for acute injuries.
Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, together with Royal Perth Hospital and Perth Children’s Hospital provide treatment of neurosurgical disorders.
This is a statewide service inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation service provided to people suffering from traumatic brain injuries. Click here to find out more about their services: State Rehabilitation Service, Patient information, (health.wa.gov.au)
Rehabilitation after hospital
Statewide service and specialist case coordination to provide rehabilitation and community reintegration for people with traumatic brain injury.
Brain Injury Rehabilitation: Brightwater
Brightwater provides rehabilitation in various methods, through residential rehabilitation at Oats Street, NDIS service providers, transitional accommodation and supported independent living.
2. Access to pastoral care and community access
Access to pastoral care should be available at all hospitals and rehabilitation service providers. Please do enquire within to access support.
Community access:
Services to access the community will be provided when medically stable. Please speak to your loved one’s support coordinator/case coordinator to point you in the right direction in this area.
3. Understanding funding
Navigating finances can be tricky after a brain injury.
You may be informally managing finances of your loved one. Or you might have an Administrator taking care of their finances.
You should speak to your social worker if you need assistance understanding funding for your loved one’s rehabilitation, as well as any Centrelink allowances they are eligible for.
For support with understanding NDIS, you can check this website out: NDIS Services – Synapse
Guide to Low Cost Rehab – Synapse
4. Psychosocial support
Navigating life after TBI can be a tricky time. You should speak to your GP and request for a counsellor, psychologist, or mental health clinician to help you and your family through the difficult time.
Here are some inspirational stories of people with lived experience of TBI
Understanding BRAIN INJURY (braininjury-au.info)
SABIR – Inspirational Stories (google.com)
Video Stories – Brain Injury Matters
What is Brain Injury? – Brain Injury Matters
Follow the patient | Ben Clench | TEDxBrighton – YouTube
Broken Part 1: Living with a Brain Injury – YouTube
Headway – the brain injury association – YouTube
The Beautiful Summer Day When My Family Almost Died – The Atlantic
Meet others living with a brain injury | Brain Injury stories (synapse.org.au)
BrainLink – Living with ABI Factsheets
5. Social connection
Meeting new people or maintaining relationships can be tricky after brain injury.
Here are some ways to connect with others with a lived experience of TBI
Carers and family support | Australia’s brain injury organisation (synapse.org.au)
The Social Brain Toolkit – ABI Communication Lab (sydney.edu.au)
Listen to our Brain Injury Podcast | BrainBank Podcast (synapse.org.au)
6. Fun activities to engage with (Hobbies)
Here are new activities to engage with, inspirational music and videos to help your loved ones on their journey.
Movies – Powell River Brain Injury Society
Additional Sleep Resources | MIT Medical
7. Advocacy
Voices Together – The Australian Self Advocacy Website
Individual advocacy – People with Disability Australia (pwd.org.au)
National Assistance Card | Personalised Disability Card Australia
8. Education around TBI
Here are some sites that you can use to use to educate yourself more about TBI
Stories of the disabled community (attitudelive.com)
Dictionary of language used in TBI