Where Can I Find Help To Get Back Into The Activities

Where can I find help to get back into the activities I want to do and will enjoy?

Do you need help to figure out:

1. Where to find the activities that must be out there, 
2. Learn what  resources are available, 
3. Find out if there  is financial assistance or help to make your house accessible, or
4. How to navigate the bus system?

Check out the Canadian Paraplegic Association, Brain Care, and the New Government of Alberta Website.   See where you feel most comfortable and who can provide you with the most support.

The Canadian Paraplegic Association

This is not just an association for the people with spinal cord injuries and wheelchairs!  The Canadian Paraplegic Association mission is: To assist persons with spinal cord injuries and other physical disabilities to achieve independence, self-reliance and full community participation.

The Canadian Paraplegic Association (Alberta) embraces the approach that there is more than one way.

Rehabilitation Support and Service Coordination

Overall Goal: Clients have the support they need after injury to transition effectively from hospital to community, to home, to employment, to aging with a disability.

Short Term:

• Clients, their families, hospital staff, other service providers and funders are aware of, and have access to, CPA (AB) services
• Clients have increased knowledge of and access to a full range of key supports - personal, financial, spiritual, recreational, educational, employment
• Clients identify rehabilitation and vocational goals and have the support and resources required to work towards goal attainment 

Intermediate/Long Term:

• Clients and their families are better able to cope with the ongoing emotional and physical impact of their injury/illness.
• Clients achieve their rehabilitation and vocational goals.
• Clients successfully transition to appropriate housing in a community of their choice.
• Personal care needs of clients are met to the extent that they can feel safe and healthy at home.
• Clients are meaningfully involved in the community  Edmonton (Head Office).

#305, 11010 - 101 Street
Edmonton, AB T5H 4B9
Tel: 780 424-6312
Fax: 780 424-6313
Toll Free: 1-888-654-5444
E-mail: edmonton@cpa-ab.org
Web Site: http://cpa-ab.org/
Teren Clarke, Executive Director

Brain Care Centre

The Brain Care Centre (previously NABIS) has been doing whatever it takes for over 27 years to ensure brain injury survivors and caregivers receive adequate support.  The following are some of the programs and services at Brain Care Centre:

Service Coordination

Program Purpose: To coordinate services for individuals (age 18 or older) and families, who are affected by acquired a brain injury. Your Service Coordinator will provide:

1. Case Coordination
• Assist those affected by brain injury to connect with required resources and services (housing, financial, leisure/recreation, education, health, vocation, rehabilitation, entitlements, social opportunities etc.).
• Information and referral
• On-going support
• An action plan based on client needs
• Personal Advocacy
• Information and connection to existing Alberta Brain Injury Initiative programs (including ‘Supports for Community Living’)
2. Survey and Promote Increased Community Capacity
• Promote participation of clients in community and services that already exist
• Identify ‘gaps in service’ and explore how organizations might meet those needs
• Consult with community professionals, survivors, caregivers to strategize how people affected by brain injury could be further served
• Become a resource team member with other professionals in providing service to person’s with a brain injury and their family in their community
• Create awareness about brain injury within the community
3. Support and Information
• Assist survivors and their family/caregivers in determining and addressing their personal support, service requirements
• Provide information about brain injury, resources and educational opportunities to survivors, families and professionals and formal caregivers
4. Caregiver and Family Support
• Family/caregiver input and participation is honored and included inperson centred planning
• Caregiver support and education is provided as needed with the option of entering the Brain Care Centre Support Facilitation Program

Support Facilitation

The Support Facilitation Program is accessible at any point during the recovery process and is on-going as needed.

One to One Supportive Counseling:

This service includes one to one sessions designed to assist individuals, couples, and families with discovering and utilizing resources and strategies for maximizing wellness after brain injury. This process may include a review of intake information; identifying personal strengths and needs for support; goal setting; information about brain injury; introduction to coping strategies and educational resources; and/or referral to other resources.

Support Groups & Education:

Support groups are the cornerstone of brain injury societies across North America. They are about people who have been affected by brain injury (both survivors and caregivers) coming together to receive and to share strength and encouragement from knowing that there are others struggling with similar concerns and looking for practical solutions. The Brain Care Centre also periodically offers workshops and short-term courses designed to respond to specific client needs. In the past these have included the topics of anger management, parenting, self-esteem, and brain injury, substance abuse and other psychosocial issues. Special focus groups have been designed to provide support for young adults, women, caregivers, and to facilitate peer interaction

Support-Focused Advocacy:

Brain Care Centre strives to empower and equip individuals and families to be their own best advocates in attaining quality services. Support-focused advocacy helps clients attain an improved quality of life by gaining access to appropriate services and community supports.

Brain Care Centre Edmonton
Phone: (780) 477-7575
Toll Free: 1 (800) 425-5552
FAX: (780) 474-4415
Web Site: http://www.braincarecentre.com/
#229 Royal Alex Place
10106 -111 Ave.
Edmonton, Alberta Canada T5G 0B4

Alberta Supports

On December 15, 2010 the Alberta government officially announced the Alberta Supports website and contact centre.  For the first time, Albertans can access information on more than 30 social based assistance programs and more than 100 services by visiting a single website or calling just one phone number.  The Alberta Supports website is online at www.albertasupports.ca, and the contact centre toll-free number is 1-877-644-9992. In Edmonton, call 780-644-9992.

For more information, read the news release at www.seniors.alberta.ca/albertasupports.