Muireann Ní Loingsigh reports on a residential service in Limerick for people with brain injuries
A specialised residential service for people with Acquired Brain Injuries (ABI) is now available in the Mid West. This is the first time the service has been open to people outside Dublin.
The residence, opened by the Peter Bradley Foundation in partnership with the Mid-Western Health Board (MWHB), provides assisted living for those with ABI. The service gives people with ABI the opportunity to reach their potential and to live independently within the community.
This is an expansion of the foundation's services and it is hoped the new residence in Limerick will become a regional hub. It will be in a position to carry out a "needs analysis" and the foundation can then provide "everything from community rehabilitation assistants to go into people's homes, to more residential if it's needed", says Ms Barbara O'Connell, the foundation's chief executive and co-founder.
She says, ideally, a whole continuum of appropriate services would be made available. Day services, respite services and training for people with ABI would be included. The foundation believes the MWHB has been very forward-thinking in its approach to providing services for people with ABI.
On the decision to work in partnership with the Peter Bradley Foundation, MWHB director of disability, Ms Patricia McClarty, says, "The services they have provided to date in Dublin are of a very high quality. Their submission was very appropriate and fulfilled all our criteria."
The MWHB will provide annual revenue funding to the foundation. "The National Health Strategy Quality and Fairness is committed to a strategy of rehabilitation for people with brain injuries," says Ms McClarty. "The service will always be changing and adapting to the needs of the people," according to Ms O'Connell. "It's trying to change the ethos of, if you've got a bed and you're fed, you're fine."
Each year up to 10,000 people sustain a traumatic brain injury in Ireland, according to the foundation. The main cause of brain injury is traffic accidents and in the majority of cases, young men between the ages of 18 and 30 are affected. Many of them can expect to live a normal life span, despite extensive long-term effects on themselves and their families.
Ms O'Connell says families throughout Ireland are finding themselves in daily crisis as they struggle to cope with personal tragedy, compounded by a lack of specialist services.
"It's terrible, it's like you know there's a cure there for something, if you only had the money," she says, "It's kind of a scandal because it's like a silent epidemic. Ten thousand every year and that's accumulating."
She thinks it's time the Department of Health supported the foundation to build a national organisation that can support a national structure. She says it should then support the health boards so that they can work in partnership with the foundation to provide the services.
Nursing homes are typically the only option available to those with ABI and though the homes are good, Ms O'Connell says they are not appropriate. She believes that with the correct environment and support, people can achieve a good quality of life. It mightn't be the life they had but they can make a very real contribution. "We've proved that it works," Ms O'Connell adds. "These guys are getting their lives back together, they're taking control and they're really happy in themselves."
Ms O'Connell says her brother Peter, whose particular situation inspired the formation of the foundation in 2000, is an example of what can be achieved when the appropriate services are available.
When he could no longer live alone, the only option available to him was a bed in a nursing home. There he spent most of his time sleeping and he was unable to walk far unaided. Now, he walks from the residence to nearby DúLaoghaire or takes a taxi into town alone, linking up with staff by mobile phone.
Website: www.peterbradleyfoundation.ie Email: info@peterbradleyfoundation.ie