Neuro Partners

Prior to my brain injury, I worked in IT and ran my own business, which took up a large proportion of my time. This allowed me to travel around the UK and abroad. In my spare time I enjoyed outdoor activities and had many friends throughout the UK and abroad.

In March 2000, I sustained a brain injury following a snowboarding accident. After spending 6 weeks in a European hospital (Austria) I returned to the UK and spent a further 4 months in a UK hospital where I made a significant recovery.

However, the brain injury affected my memory quite severely and I found it difficult to plan anything, make decisions or initiate daily tasks. With decreased motivation, low concentration and mood swings, I felt I had no specific targets to aim for.

It was around this time I was referred to Neuro Partners by the local Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) Team.

The ABI Occupational Therapist worked with me in the beginning to develop alternative strategies to plan and organise myself better, as well as providing me with information regarding adaptive cutlery for the kitchen e.g. a plastic spike board, which I chose to purchase myself. Neuro Partners’ Occupational Therapist has helped me source adaptive clothing such as; Velcro fastening jackets and walking shoes with a BOA lacing system however I chose to not purchase these items as I wanted to be able to zip up my own jacket again and lace up my own walking boots again. The OT and I then worked on this to identify alternative techniques/strategies to increase my independence in these activities. I have also achieved set goals such as going fell-walking, putting up my tent (enabling me to go camping again) and organising my loft to make it safer and more accessible.

Neuro Partners helped me manage my fatigue and worked with me to input organisational strategies into my day, eg using a diary/calendar. They continue to work with me to plan and execute the things I want to do. Through their support I am encouraged to be more motivated and engage in household tasks, working on my allotment and doing leisure activities.

I now enjoy partaking in outdoor activities again and socialising with my friends.

Neuro Partners enabled me to achieve the simple things people do every day through motivation, structure and initiation.