“Richard suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) following an assault on a night out. After several months of rehabilitation within a Brain Injury Rehabilitation Centre, it was felt Richard may be ready to be discharged back home. Ann, (Richard’s wife) though thrilled at the news of the pending discharge was apprehensive. Following his TBI, Richard was facing difficulty coping with social situations which would result in him feeling overwhelmed and cause him to shout, raise his fists in rage..“
Greenshoot Care Services was approached by the Richard’s Case Manager with the view to continue his rehabilitation upon being discharged.
Greenshoot Care Service Approach
Following our initial meeting with the Case Manager and an assessment, it was agreed that Greenshoot Care Service would provide Rehabilitation Support Workers to work with Richard within the Brain Injury Rehabilitation Centre for the remaining three months prior to his discharge. This allowed our team to get acquitted with Richard and understand his likes, dislikes, and study the current care plans in place with the view of adapting these once Richard was discharged. Our staff worked alongside the Centre’s care Staff and got to understand the model of care that was being used. We also spent time with Ann to understand the person Richard was before his injury ie his interests, hobbies, and relations which were important to him. This information helped us to formulate a Personal Centred Approach in our delivery of care. Following his successful discharge, Richard is now back at home with the support of family and Greenshoot Care Services Rehabilitation Support Workers. Each day brings its own challenges, but Richard continues to make progress and is able to safely enjoy his pursuits.
So what worked?
In this case, adequate planning and early intervention enabled us to understand the aspirations and challenges from both Richard’s point of view and that of his family. This allowed to personalise Richard’s care whilst being sensitive to his home environment. Working alongside the Brain Injury Centre enhanced our understanding of the model of care and enable us to offer a holistic approach to Richard’s care after his discharge.
Caring for a family member can be challenging after a Brain Injury. Ann was keen to learn the effects of Brain Injury which we supported through our partner networks such as Headway the Brain Injury Association, helping to relieve some of Ann’s anxieties. In selecting the Support team to work with Richard, it was important to choose staff who had undergone our renowned Brain Injury Training and had similar interests to those of Richard.