Powell River Brain Injury Society is committed to advocacy for those who are afflicted plus prevention and education for those who are not.
Debbie Dee, executive director of the society, appeared before City of Powell River Council, June 18, and said June was Brain Injury Prevention and Awareness Month. She thought it would be a good opportunity to bring council up to date.
Dee said the society was formed in September 2003. It operates a drop-in centre that is augmented by specific programming. Programs include fitness, reading and writing, memory, art, anger management, community education, psychosocial support, plus cognitive enhancement. There are also therapies such as music, art, reflexology and Reiki. Additionally, there is focus on activities such as cooking, gardening and nutrition.
Dee said she created the gardening and nutrition program so that people who are socially isolated and who have trouble being in groups of people can still putter around in the garden and be part of the whole while still working on their own.
She provides individual and group counselling. Medical and legal professionals and other organizations make referrals to the society. It makes referrals to other organizations when appropriate. The society’s clients need to be formally diagnosed by a physician.
All programming is free of charge. There is a core staff of three, including one full-time and two part-time.
Dee said the society has increased its visibility in the community and has become a respected and vibrant community services support organization. It is providing services for more than 200 clients.
The society is currently pursuing a social enterprise arrangement for client employment and society self-sufficiency. The brain injury society has just received a grant from the Vancouver Foundation to complete the necessary studies and documents to advance the project.
“We expect, when all things fall into place, we will be able to hire at least 40 people on a production line,” Dee said. “They will all be persons with disabilities, working at their own capacity and making the equivalent of a livable wage.”
There will also be employees from the general population. That number is anticipated to start at five and grow to as many as 25. Dee said that as the project takes shape, council will hear more about it.
The society’s garden project, located on the property behind the Brain Injury Society’s office, employs five people on a grant from Service Canada. More than 95 per cent of the produce has been sourced and purchased locally. It’s organic and GMO free.
“This project is only in its second year and it has put more than $135,000 into the local economy,” she said. “Actually, in the 12 years since our society has formed, we have contributed approximately $2 million into the local economy.”
Prevention programs in local schools in grades four, five and 11 have gone a long way to increase the visibility of brain injury prevention. The society has also been increasing the visibility of Powell River internationally.
“I submitted an abstract of the statistical research findings of our prevention programs and it was accepted for presentation at the International Paediatric Brain Injury conference in Liverpool in September,” Dee said. “This is a big deal for a little organization and I’m proud to go and represent our society and to promote Powell River at the international level.”
The society recently underwent a service review and the report was extremely positive, according to Dee.
“The consultant said we should be commended for the work we do, the projects we undertake and the energy we put into our community awareness and prevention programs.”
As a result of the process the society is now recruiting for an advisory committee that will research and discuss the recommendations and formulate an improved contract through Vancouver Coastal Health.
Dee said the centre is a vibrant and bustling hub of activity five days a week. She said unfortunately, brain injury doesn’t keep office hours so for the most part, the work is around the clock.
“We help clients navigate through stressful and anxiety-causing situations that they would not have had the skill set to manage before. They have a place to turn when things get overwhelming.”
Dee said they provide advocacy, fill out forms, attend doctor appointments and court dates.
“We drop everything to take care of emergencies. We provide a safe and accepting atmosphere. It’s like a second home for people who would otherwise just stay at home. For others it is their first home.”
It’s not unusual for clients to have lost family and friends along the way. Divorce rate for people with brain injury is in the 90 per cent range, Dee said.
Later in the council meeting, Mayor Dave Formosa proclaimed June 2015 as Brain Injury Prevention and Awareness Month.
Readers can find more information online about the society.
