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A survey has been launched to identify the accommodation needs of brain injury survivors and their carers across Newry and Mourne, where a significant gap in dedicated housing provision has been identified.
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The Brain Injury Foundation (BIF) and Head Injury Support (HIS), with the support of the Southern Trust, are conducting the survey to establish the real scale of need over the next ten years. Both organisations report they are meeting an increasing number of brain injury survivors and carers who are struggling to find long-term suitable accommodation.
A particular concern is the situation facing survivors whose family carers are ageing and are trying to plan ahead for the time when they will no longer be physically able to continue caring for their loved one.
Olive Hawthorne, Manager of BIF, who is coordinating the survey, said: "Both organisations would be very appreciative if anyone who knows of a family affected by brain injury could be encouraged to respond to the survey."
Shelagh Smyth, Manager of HIS, stressed the importance of reaching as many people as possible. "The results of this survey will be very important and will allow us to plan how we might assist in the future accommodation needs of brain injury survivors and so we would appeal for help in promoting the survey as widely as possible."
While the survey will be posted to members of both organisations, there are many survivors and carers not currently known to either group, and both are keen to reach as wide an audience as possible. BIF can be contacted on 30839943 and HIS on 30833728, or the survey can be completed online via either organisation's website at www.thebraininjuryfoundation.com or www.headinjurysupport.com.
