- As soon as we hear of someone whom we could help, we try to make
contact, often with the family or close friends. Our information
will normally come from the Core Brain Injury Team at the Leicester
Hospitals Trust. Sometimes the injury is sustained outside our area
by someone who lives here, and the family gets in touch with us
first. Whatever the initial contact, we help them to come to terms
with the new situation in their lives. We advise them about the
wide range of services offered both by local authorities and ourselves
and other voluntary organisations.
- When the patient is discharged from hospital, he or she may be
referred to Headway by Social Services. If the patient is coming
home after initial treatment elsewhere, it is a good idea to call
us so that we can be ready to help. From that point on,
 our
new Member is an individual with his or her own personal rehabilitation
plan. There are several directions which this plan can take.
A Way Ahead:
- At Headway House in Leicester we have an Activities Centre with
a number of things for people to do, like computing, crafts, gardening,
and woodwork. Most importantly, our Members meet and socialise with
each other and they begin to feel less alone. There is also plenty
of time for one-to-one counselling.
- Out in the city and around the counties we keep contact with people
in their own homes through our ‘Outreach’ scheme. Outreach
Groups also meet in centres where we find sufficient demand –
currently Loughborough, Enderby and Melton Mowbray.
- Another important aspect is our education service, which offers
Lifelong Learning opportunities appropriate to Members’ needs
and abilities. We work closely with Crown Hills Community College,
Leicester College and Brooksby Melton College.
- Our aim through all these services is to ‘move people on’
so that they no longer need us. Some however will need our help
over the longer term, so we never put a time limit on Membership.
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© Leicestershire, Leicester and
Rutland Headway