Work with brain injury

Identify vocational need for help

Health professional

The healthcare professional or treatment team proactively investigates the work-related assistance request of individuals with ABI and collaborates with them to determine feasible and realistic goals.

Adhering to disability management principles, the treatment team aims to enhance the individual's functional capacity to the fullest extent possible.

Moreover, efforts are made to enhance the individual's understanding of the legal aspects and financial implications related to disability and labour (re)integration. This empowerment equips the individual to engage in discussions with pertinent stakeholders effectively.

šŸ¤Together

Collaborate with the individual with ABI to determine the primary work goal and available support options.

One potential avenue is initiating a vocational rehabilitation programme, which can be explained to the individual and their family.

  • Assess the individual's motivation for engaging in a vocationalĀ rehabilitation programme.
  • Communication with other stakeholders such as the advisory doctor from the health insurance fund or work accident insurance company, as well as the occupational physician, is essential.
  • Involving individuals with lived experience, known as experience experts, can be beneficial.
    • These individuals have firsthand experience with ABIĀ and may have successfully reintegrated into society following their recovery.
    • They can offer valuable insights and support in decision-making related to returning to work.
    • This personalised interaction is flexible and relatable.
    • The degree of connection between the individual and the experience expert's lived experiences is crucial (Balogun-Mwangi et al., 2019; Reed et al., 2022).
    • Engaging with an experience expert allows the individual to draw inspiration from others' achievements (Mills & Kreutzer, 2016).

šŸ’”Tips & tricks

  • Through collaborative and holistic approaches, prioritise a comprehensive focus encompassing the individual, the work environment, and work capabilities.

  • Facilitate active information exchange with the individual's consent to establish a shared understanding of their functioning and work-related assistance needs.

  • Encourage the individual to maintain regular communication with relevant stakeholders.

  • Recognize that it can be challenging for the individual to navigate whom to contact, when, and for what reasons.

    • Therefore, educate the individual about the responsibilities and roles of various stakeholders.

    • When identifying work-related assistance requests, consider the individual's coping mechanisms for loss and potential challenges in disease insight post-ABI.

    • The individual may initially set unrealistic expectations for vocational rehabilitation, but through the process, they can develop a more realistic understanding of achievable goals.

šŸ§°Useful tools

A useful tool for establishing rapport and understanding individuals with ABI is the Interview Daily Routine guide.

Self-report questionnaires can aid in assessing support needs. Examples include

  • the Self-Awareness in Daily Life (SADL-3: Prinsen et al., 2016),
  • the Work Rehabilitation Questionnaire (WORQ: Finger et al., 2014), and
  • the Impact on Participation and Autonomy (IPA: Cardol et al., 1999).

Effective communication is essential. As part of the project, two informational leaflets were created:

  • one focusing on VR after ABIĀ and
  • another providing tips for individuals with ABIĀ during (re)employment.

If you are interested in receiving these leaflets, please contactĀ dorien.vandenborre@thomasmore.be.

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