Long Term Community Care Project

Description
A study examining the predictors of long term care needs in the community for people with acquired brain injury

Rationale
People with acquired brain injury and their families often experience difficulty accessing the long term support and care they need in the community

Unlike physical disability, the care needs of people with acquired brain injury are often hidden, hard to define and difficult to predict

In order for people with acquired brain injury to have their  care needs met, research is needed to establish the extent of community care need following acquired brain injury and identify the factors that predict these care needs

Participants
People with acquired brain injury, their family members and their rehabilitation providers, Insurance providers (CTP, Workcover)

Key Features Identification of the extent and nature of long term care needs in community for people with acquired brain injury from the perspective of the person with brain injury, their family members, rehabilitation providers and insurance providers 

Identification of the factors that influence and predict the community care needs of people with acquired brain injury

Develop recommendations for funding of community care needs and support for people with acquired brain injury

Funding
Pilot study funded internally by ABIOS

Community Rehabilitation Research Scheme Funding (2007)

Research / Evaluation Strategies
Initial pilot study conducted using quantitative measurement of community care needs and potential predictors of care needs

Qualitative analysis (grounded theory) of the factors contributing to community care needs using in-depth interviews with people with acquired brain injury, family members, rehabilitation providers and insurance providers

Retrospective and prospective quantitative measurement of community care needs as well as rehabilitation outcomes and personal and environmental factors as potential predictors

Outputs and Outcomes
Funding report completed and multiple conference presentations have disseminated findings to national audiences.

58 people with ABI and 50 significant others participated in the quantitative phase. 13 participants with ABI and 13 significant others participated in the qualitative phase.

Findings highlighted ongoing needs for practical, emotional, and informational support for people with ABI and their families.

The provision of emotional support decreased over time.

A model for assessing care was developed

Publications
There are no publications to date for this project

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