Case Studies
Peter , 29 , with an acquired brain injury
Peter was aged 23 when involved in a road traffic accident in which he sustained a severe brain injury, numerous fractures and medical complications. The brain injury left him with significant cognitive impairments and physical disabilites meaning he was dependent on a wheelchair, various items of equipment and other people to meet his daily needs. His communication was limited but despite this his personality shone through!
Following a lengthy period in intensive care and time on a neurological rehabilitation ward, Peter was eventually discharged to a nursing home. The nursing home offered care to the elderly and was totally unsuitable for a 23 year old man.
As a result of a large interim payment being made, a case manager from Brownbill Associates Ltd was appointed which resulted in Peter being able to start spending weekends at home with his family; the case manager arranged the essential items of equipment and agency carers to facilitate these weekends. The case manager also established a committed team of private rehabilitation therapists who provided Peter a bespoke package of therapy in the nursing home, and then subsequently in his own home.
The following year a suitable bungalow was purchased. The case manager along with Peter and his family recruited a privately employed team of ten support workers and Peter was eventually discharged home with a 24 hour care team. The case manager arranged training for the support worker team specific to Peter’s needs and as a result they provide an excellent standard of care and support to Peter.
Since then Peter has been able to live a very full and active life. With the support of his care team, he now attends his local college, local Headway group, goes fishing and is a season ticket holder for his beloved premier league football team.
Peter and his family never imagined that any of this could have been achieved and are delighted with the high quality of care and support Peter continues to receive from this support worker team coordinated and managed by his case manager.
Annabelle , 19 , with an acquired brain injury
Annabelle was aged five when she was involved in a road traffic accident in which her father and sister died. Annabelle sustained a severe brain injury and was in a coma in hospital for eight months. As a result of the appointment of an experienced case manager from Brownbill Associates Ltd, a place at a specialist children’s rehabilitation unit was found and funding was approved. The case manager monitored Annabelle’s rehabilitation and supported her mother to ensure Annabelle was receiving all she required. At one stage, the case manager arranged for supplemental therapies on a private basis to cover the shortfall at the unit.
Annabelle made positive progress, and with assistance from her case manager her discharge was well planned. After a year she returned to live at home with her mother, supported by a live-in specialist nanny. At this stage she was wheelchair dependent, had significant cognitive impairments and difficulties with communication. The case manager introduced art and music therapy to Annabelle and appointed a private multidisciplinary team of therapists, including a paediatric neuropsychologist who was able to assist with the issues of bereavement and associated challenging behaviours. She eventually started at a special school and the case manager recruited directly employed support workers who provided therapy, under the guidance of the therapy team, plus general support to Annabelle and her mother, both after school and at weekends.
Eventually, with constant one to one support and therapy Annabelle learnt to walk again, albeit with a walking aid and supervision, her communication improved and she was able to assist with some aspects of her personal care. With support from her care team she started to participate in weekly horseriding and swimming classes.
Annabelle will always require 24 hour support but now plans to move into her own self-contained accommodation with a 24 hour team. The case manager is fully supportive of this goal and will play a central role with Annabelle and her mother to ensure it is achieved.
Adam , 38 , with a spinal cord injury
Adam was aged 30 at the time of his industrial accident, and was married with twins aged two years. His C5 spinal cord injury left him tetraplegic and meant a lengthy stay of one year in a specialist unit based 160 miles away from his family home.
The appointment of a case manager from Brownbill Associates Ltd made a huge difference to Adam, and especially his wife who struggled to cope with two small children, travelling the long distance to visit her husband in hospital and the loss of his monthly income. The case manager arranged childcare at home for the twins when Adam’s wife visited him and also helped them apply for all financial benefits they were entitled to.
Following numerous negotiations the case manager was able to deal successfully with the debts the family had incurred as a result of the accident, was able to secure funding from the local authority regarding adaptations to their home and Adam was discharged home. By using funds that were eventually available from an interim payment, support workers were appointed and with their support Adam was able to retrain as a computer programmer and returned to work on a part-time basis.
Sophie , 3 , with Cerebral Palsy
As a result of a birth injury, Sophie was diagnosed with dystonic cerebral palsy. She subsequently developed epilepsy and was eventually diagnosed with a hearing loss. Sophie was dependent on others for all her needs and her epilepsy was unstable meaning she needed constant monitoring day and night.
With the support of a paediatric case manager from Brownbill Associates Ltd, Sophie’s parents were able to source the services of a specialist therapy centre and a local special needs school. With assistance from the case manager, part-time carers were recruited, starting with just occasional Saturdays, enabling Sophie’s parents to take their other two children to watch football or go shopping. As this proved to be successful, additional carers were gradually recruited and eventually full-time care was made available, including waking night care. The case manager continues to be involved with managing the team and arranging the necessary training and re-recruitment when carers move on.
Sophie’s family slowly adjusted to having carers based in their family home and with the eventual move to a large, fully adapted bungalow, life became much easier for Sophie, her parents and her brothers.
