Prevention Library
Wellness Works program focuses on brain injuries
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Last month, a group called NEBrainstorm met to discuss where Nebraska, as a state, was in terms of dealing with those with brain injuries.
On Monday, St. Francis Medical Center tried to address the statewide issues on a local scale as a Brain Injury Awareness Fair was held at Wellness Works/Por Su Salud in the Conestoga Mall.
"Today's event was an aftermath of that meeting," said Cris McElroy, director of social work with the hospital. "A lot of the same issues came up. There's a lack of awareness and services."
The fair featured speakers, including some families with loved ones who are dealing with brain injuries. Ann King, with Tri-City SAFE Kids, was one of the scheduled speakers and talked about the importance of keeping children safe by using simple prevention techniques. Encouraging parents to do so, she said, is the business of the community.
"Most people don't think they have a role, but they do," she said. "Prevention is, without a doubt, the best thing you can do to prevent traumatic brain injury. The interest in prevention has grown in this area. It's a huge issue and everyone has a role."
King put particular stress on bicycle helmet safety, as only 15 percent of regular bike riders us a helmet. When it comes to bicycle collisions with cars in particular, helmets are often the difference between a major brain injury, or even death, and scrapes and bruises.
On the other end of the spectrum, McElroy said there needs to be more education when it comes to those who are dealing with the effects of traumatic brain injuries, and services to match. In particular, those who have injuries often have a hard time finding and keeping work or finding housing.
"What works one week might not work the next with some people," McElroy said. "The biggest thing is getting the professional community to understand. People being aware of the signs and symptoms are important because sometimes people with brain injuries don't look any different, but they have special needs."
A statewide services study prepared for the Nebraska Department of Education and the Nebraska Health and Human Services System identified deficiencies in the state system, including a shortage of service providers, community-based services and long-term rehabilitation, in addition to the lack of awareness and lack of affordable housing.
Right now, in Grand Island, McElroy said, the best thing that can be done is to get the word out about the issue, which was part of the reason for the fair on Monday. In addition, it helps those who have injuries or who think they might have injuries find a place to go to get information.
"The big point of this was to get information out," she said. "If it's on a calendar or in the mall like this, people might not come to the events but they'll know where to go if they have questions."
Prevention is especially important in the case of traumatic brain injuries, King believes, because she has seen the effects and heard testimonies of those who wish they could go back and be a little safer to avoid injury.
"We tend to know people don't do anything about an issue until something happens to them," she said. "Those with injuries are great because they don't want anyone else to go through what they had to."
Reprinted with permission.© 2005 Copyright The Grand Island Independent