An acquired or traumatic brain injury often occurs very suddenly and may be the result of a road traffic accident, sporting accident or a stroke. There is no time or opportunity to prepare for what lies ahead and it is a huge shock to their individual and their family and friends.

At The Richardson Partnership for Care, we provide support, rehabilitation and residential care for adults who often have severe brain injuries and complex or challenging behaviour as a result of their injury. They often come to us from specialist brain injury clinics or nursing homes several months after sustaining their injury, or they may come from other residential settings after several years.

Uncertainty
One of the hardest things to deal with when a loved one sustains a brain injury is not knowing how much of a recovery they will make and how long it will take. Recovery and rehabilitation can be a very long process and it will depend on the severity and the type of brain injury, as well as the engagement of the individual. Feelings of anger, anxiety and grief are common for both the individual and their families, so everyone will need some time and space to deal with these emotions. Psychological therapy and mental health support are key parts of a service user’s care plan, which is designed to meet their specific needs. Maintaining family relationships is very important and we encourage families to visit their loved ones in our homes. We also facilitate and support home visits for the service user.

Person-centred approach
Due to their nature, brain injuries are complex and have wide-ranging effects on a person’s mental and physical abilities. Although we know that different parts of the brain are responsible for different functions, it does not necessarily follow that injuries to certain parts of the brain will manifest themselves in the same way. Service users present with many different symptoms and behaviours, so each individual has a care plan designed specifically to meet their individual needs.

Multi-disciplinary team
Our multi-disciplinary team, consisting of a Consultant Psychiatrist, Chartered Clinical Psychologist, Assistant Psychologists, Physiotherapist, Occupational Therapist, Speech and Language Therapist and Home Managers, assesses each individual’s physical, psychological, mental health and well-being needs. They design a care plan to meet these needs and to help them fulfil their personal goals and objectives.

A therapy and care programme is put in place and the care support workers are trained to continue the work of the therapists on a daily basis. All of the activities in our care homes (as well as periods of relaxation and the environment itself) are geared towards rehabilitation and increasing the quality of life and independence of our service users.

Before a service user is admitted to one of our residential homes, we try to support their family as much as possible, providing information and guidance on the admissions and referrals process, which can be complex and unfamiliar. We also recommend a range of support organisations that are able to help. Please see our resources page for more information.