Community Integration Service (Cork)
This individual service helps people with acquired brain injury to take part in social, leisure and recreational activities in their own communities, by giving clients one-to-one support, and by providing information to them and their families.
What is the aim of the Programme?
The Community Integration Service aims to facilitate people with an acquired brain injury (ABI) to participate in activities within their own communities.
We encourage people with an ABI to participate in a variety of social and recreational activities in their own localities. We provide information to clients and carers on all aspects of the different activities that are available, and we'll give support to encourage participation.
This service is individually client based. The type of activities that clients will be participating in will be those that they choose themselves and that they have an interest in. Through practical involvement, with the assistance of the Community Integration Officer, we hope to help clients overcome difficulties they encounter in their day to day activities and increase clients' confidence and independence in these activities.
How long does it run for?
The service runs on a continual basis with the level of support varying depending on the level of confidence and type of assistance required by clients.
On joining the programme, initial support includes the Community Integration Officer attending the activity with the client. This level of support continues until the client feels confident enough to attend the activity on his/her own. The next step involves the Community Access Officer being in the locality if physical support is needed. Over time it is hoped that the level of support to the client could be reduced, knowing that if she/he needs assistance that she/he can ring the Community Access Officer to discuss any problems they are facing.