Launches New Support Groups for People Over 60
Falls are the leading cause of Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) in adults 60 and older with approximately 16,000 elders in Massachusetts sustaining a TBI this year. Fifty percent of all hospitalizations for TBI occur in this age group with numbers expecting to increase as “baby boomers� age and life expectancies increase.
The Brain Injury Association of Massachusetts (BIA-MA) is collaborating with the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission’s Statewide Head Injury Program (SHIP) and the Executive Office of Elder Affairs (EOEA) on a federal grant which maximizes the existing resources for elders who have sustained a traumatic brain injury. The program also enhances the “No Wrong Door� model that simplifies and streamlines consumer-directed access to services.
Both detection and treatment of a brain injury are complicated by factors that affect older populations such as pre-existing medical conditions and in some cases, multiple medications. To improve rehabilitation outcomes, and ultimately the quality of life, for this population, both their needs as an aging adult and their needs specific to brain injury must be addressed simultaneously.
“BIA-MA is committed to actively reducing the numbers of TBI’s in Massachusetts,� said Nicole Godaire, Executive Director, BIA-MA. “We are proud to be partnering with the Statewide Head Injury Program to identify elders in the MetroWest and Northeast that have sustained traumatic brain injuries and make connections with elder services and existing brain injury resources.�
Initially, the outreach campaign is focused on 84 cities and town throughout the MetroWest and Northeast portion of the state. Flyers, brochures, and materials have been developed as a resource for people living in these areas. For more resources visit www.biama.org/elders.
In addition, BIA-MA has organized support groups for elders and their families to share experiences, learn strategies, and find resources. Three separate groups of survivors age 60+ and their caregivers meet in Lynn, Marlborough, and Lawrence.
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Lynn, on the 3rd Monday of the month from 2:00 – 3:30 pm at Lynn Community Health Center, 269 Union Street, Lynn, MA 01901
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Marlborough, the 2nd Wednesday of the month from 2:00 – 3:30 pm at BayPath, 333 Boston Post Road West, Marlborough, MA 01752
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Lawrence, the 3rd Tuesday of the month from 2:00 – 3:30 pm at NILP, 20 Ballard Road, Lawrence, MA 01843.
For more information, call Liz Harnois, BIA-MA’s Elders Information and Resource Specialist at the Brain Injury Association of Massachusetts at 1-844-839-7154.
