Headway Nottingham is a long term rehabilitation and support day centre supporting people in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire who have become disabled following brain injury. The impact of brain injury is far-reaching, affecting everything we may take for granted about our physical abilities, cognitive processing and behaviour, whilst having a devastating effect on the lives of new carers and family, who may be 'grieving' for their loved one as they remember them before their injury.
Following brain injury, the process of rehabilitation to a level of independence or personal fulfilment may take several years or a lifetime. Headway Nottingham is here to support for as long as required and is a lifeline of development, advocacy and friendship for nearly 100 people a week.
Our intensive support helps to overcome this, whilst providing respite for carers, with the knowledge that their loved one is in a safe, understanding environment. Our Outreach Worker supports people and families in our community, making a difference to practical issues arising from brain injury, such as housing, debt management or representation at benefits tribunals. All our work is underpinned by the value that a life with a brain injury is still a life, and people affected should not be limited or defined by their disabilities.
After brain injury people often become socially isolated, disproportionately experience depression and family breakdown, feel vulnerable, overly-dependent on others, and lack a sense of purpose or meaning. We have a busy weekly timetable of rehabilitation and support workshops that provides;
the opportunity to learn why members are experiencing their new disabilities
mechanisms to begin to overcome their daily difficulties
practical life skills to improve independence
a safe and understanding environment for our members to improve social interactions and re-establish networks of friends
group co-operation and behavioural skills to promote safety away from our centre or the home
confidence building and the redevelopment of a sense of wellbeing, purpose and a ‘new me’
