Action for Brain Injury Week 2021

Today marks the start of Action for Brain Injury Week 2021.

Action for Brain Injury Week or ABI Week is an annual campaign designed to raise awareness of the devastating effects of brain injury and is organised by Headway - the brain injury association, one of the UK's leading brain injury charities and a charity we hold dear to our hearts here at Potter Rees Dolan. Each year, Headway choose a different theme to highlight during ABI Week - 2019 was all about brain drain and fatigue, while in 2020 the focus was on memory loss.

The theme for 2021 is "A life of lockdown?" which will focus on social isolation after brain injury - an issue that has been intensified by the Covid-19 pandemic. Covid-19 has, of course, been tough on everyone. The repeated lockdowns over the last year have left many people feeling isolated and lonely. However, the lockdowns have had even more of a significant impact on people who live with a brain injury, as well as their loved ones.

A study published by Headway revealed that more than half of brain injury survivors who sustained their injuries within the past two years say they have lost access to rehabilitation services as a result of the Covid-19 lockdown measures and now fear for their futures. Without the appropriate support, brain injury survivors could be left with lasting damage and worsening of the long-term effects of their brain injury.

This year's ABI Week campaign offers a range of information to help explain why the often invisible effects of brain injury can lead to isolation, as well as offering simple guides and tips to help brain injury survivors overcome these feelings - encouraging friends, family and colleagues to offer support whenever they can.

Headway Chief Executive Peter McCabe said: “The Covid-19 pandemic has brought the effects of isolation into sharp focus, but this is an issue that brain injury survivors and their loved ones can face on a daily basis as a result of their condition.

“The complex effects of a brain injury can cause profound changes to a survivor’s personality, emotional control and behaviour, as well as their cognitive ability, causing significant barriers to them fully engaging with society.

“In addition to this, many carers and close family members can feel isolated as the pressures of caring make it more difficult for them to communicate or interact with friends and family, often leading to their own social and support networks drifting away.

“Through services like our local groups and branches, the UK-wide helpline, award-winning information and the Brain Injury Identity Card, Headway is committed to providing people with the support they need to live lives that are as full and independent as possible.

“Through the 'A life of lockdown?' campaign, we hope to champion the cause of those affected by brain injury at a time when awareness of isolation has never been greater, calling for people to understand the effects of brain injury and reach out to help out.”

Take a look at Headway and Action for Brain Injury Week for further information.

Here at Potter Rees Dolan, our expert serious injury solicitors are committed to helping secure financial compensation and long term care for our brain injured clients. In support of this week's Headway's A Life of Lockdown campaign and in order to help raise awareness of brain injury, we will be sharing various articles about brain injury and shining a light on some of the brain injury cases that we have settled over the last couple of years.

If you would like to know more how our expert team of brain injury solicitors can help you or a loved one following a brain injury that was caused through accident or clinical negligence, simply call us on 0800 027 2557 or fill out our contact form here.