What is an acquired brain injury?
Did you know?
How does an acquired brain injury affect people?
How are acquired brain injuries treated?
Are there fees?
Who can make a referral?
Do you have to live in Melbourne?
Will my health fund cover the cost of assessment and rehabilitation?
When should a referral be made?
Is ReNew only for people with an acquired brain injury due to an accident?
Will ReNew accept referrals for a person with an acquired brain injury who also has a mental illness or alcohol and drug dependence?
What is an acquired brain injury (ABI)?
An acquired brain injury (ABI) is when the normal function of the brain is impaired. This impairment can be caused through an injury to the head or by having an illness.
Brain injury can happen through road traffic accidents, assaults or falls, or by having an illness such as encephalitis, brain haemorrhages, strokes or a brain tumour. Brain injuries can also be caused by drug and alcohol abuse. A brain injury can happen to any of us at any time.
Did you know?
- One in 45 Australians has an ABI
- three out every four people with an ABI are aged less than 65
- over 55% of ABIs are caused by traffic accidents
- falls, assault, stroke and illness also contribute to ABIs
- one in every five strokes happens to a person aged less than 55
- over 6700 young Australians, many with brain injuries, are currently living in nursing homes (for more information, see links below).
How does acquired brain injury affect people?
The effects vary from one person to another, depending on the exact nature and location of the brain injury, and its severity. The effects can be physical (movement, vision, touch or taste), cognitive (thinking processes such as memory and concentration) or behavioural (self-control, motivation etc).
ABI can cause:
- poor memory and concentration
- difficulty planning and problem solving
- depression and emotional instability
- significant problems with social interaction
- difficulties with personal care and mobility.
How are acquired brain injuries treated?
The treatment of brain injury occurs in a number of different stages and differs from person to person due to the severity and nature of the injury. We know that there are patterns of recovery from brain injury and a typical ‘recovery curve’ but the brain is very complicated, so each person’s recovery is unique.
The brain does have considerable ability to heal and we are learning more about this all the time, so people can continue to change and make progress many years after their injury. With the right rehabilitation, achieving positive outcomes and goals is even more likely.
Families are extremely important and their love and support is a vital ingredient in the rehabilitation process. They have a great ability to motivate the injured person and encourage them to keep going and participate fully in their rehabilitation when times are hard. They can also provide vital information about what the person was like before, what they enjoyed doing or disliked. It is important, therefore, for families and staff to work together.
Are there fees?
ReNew is a not for profit organisation with charitable status, but does charge fees to cover the costs of its specialist services.
While there are standard fees for our premium residential assessment and rehabilitation service, fees will vary for community services depending on the needs of the individual and the requirements of funding bodies. These may need to be negotiated.
While government agencies may cover the cost for some service users, we are aware that others may not have access to an appropriate level of funding. Again, we would be happy to discuss the options available to you and how we could assist you to receive a service.
Who can make a referral?
Anyone can make a referral. You do not have to be a case manager or a clinician, though such professionals may also be involved.
Do you have to live in Melbourne?
While the ReNew Centre is based at Altona Meadows in Melbourne, you do not need to be a resident of Melbourne or even of Victoria to make a referral. ReNew accepts referrals from all areas and following the referral will discuss with you the options for service delivery.
Will my health fund cover the costs of assessment and rehabilitation?
ReNew is a TAC approved rehabilitation facility. The options available for privately insured individuals however will need to be explored during the referral process.
When should a referral be made?
A referral to ReNew can be made at any stage along a person’s rehabilitation journey, though a person may benefit from as early a referral as possible to enable them to develop and maintain a quality of life.
Referrals can be made during and after a period of hospitalisation, or at any stage once a person has returned home.
A person may still benefit from the neurobehavioural approach even years after the onset of his or her brain injury.
Is ReNew only for people with an acquired brain injury due to an accident?
No, the neurobehavioural approach can be beneficial regardless of how the brain injury occurred. People who have a brain injury as a result of a stroke, near drowning, infection and so on may also benefit.
Will ReNew accept referrals for a person with an acquired brain injury who also has a mental illness or alcohol and drug dependencies?
Yes, ReNew works with people who have an acquired brain injury and challenging behavior. It is very common for people with an acquired brain injury to also experience mental health and drug and alcohol health issues.
For more information, please contact us.