Statewide - This March, Healthy Living for ME joins in recognizing March as Brain Injury Awareness Month. According to the Brain Injury Association of America, more than 3.6 million people sustain an acquired brain injury each year.
Acquired brain injuries fall into two categories, traumatic and non-traumatic. Traumatic brain injuries include contact injuries, such as those caused by falls or car accidents. Non-traumatic brain injuries are caused by occurrences such as strokes and infection.
“Brain Injury Awareness Month is a great time to let people know about the resources available to help them, including Healthy Living for ME. We offer several workshops that are beneficial for those with brain injuries and their caregivers, and we’re also pleased to work closely with organizations like the Brain Injury Association of America,” said Maija Dyke, Contract and Business Manager of Healthy Living for ME.
“Brain injuries are serious and challenging, but they don’t need to define a person. Through our close work with Healthy Living for ME, we’ve been able to connect many people with education and support to help them and their loved ones improve their overall wellness as they deal with brain injuries,” said Sarah Gaffney, Program Coordinator of the Brain Injury Association of America’s Maine Chapter (BIAA-ME). Gaffney also encourages anyone affected by brain injury in Maine to connect with BIAA-ME's Maine Brain Injury Resource Center for brain injury information, resources, and support.
Among the workshops Healthy Living for ME offers, some that may be of particular help for those with brain injuries and their caregivers are HealthMatters and Building Better Caregivers. With nearly 50% of acquired brain injuries caused by falls, the Falls Prevention workshop offered by Healthy Living for ME is a resource that can help people reduce their risk of falling and sustaining a brain injury.
For more information on these, as well as other workshops and resources available through Healthy Living for ME, visit www.healthylivingforme.org, call 1-800-620-6036, or email info@healthylivingforme.org.
For more information about the Brain Injury Association of America and their Maine Chapter, as well as Brain Injury Awareness Month events and activities, visit www.biausa.org/maine, call 1-800-444-6443, or email MaineBrainInjuryInfo@biausa.org.