Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) Provincial Network

The Network hosts monthly virtual ABI lunch and learn sessions on a range of topics for clinicians. They occur on the 4th Wednesday of the month from September to June from 12:15-1:00. Check out the slides and recordings from previous Lunch & Learns. Topics include:

Brain Injury Basics                                     Brain Injury Resources         

Behaviour After ABI                                    Fatigue After ABI

Communication Issues                          Cognitive Rehabilitation       

NSRAC Vocational Services                    VCI

Nutrition Considerations                         Intimate Partner Violence

Leisure Considerations                              MAID

Peter's Place Services                                 

Concussion Recovery                                  

Balancing Hope and Reality in Rehabilitation

Sexual Health and Disability                       

Management of the Early/Low Level Affected Arm Post-Stroke

Dalhousie Speech Language Clinics

Early Identification, Referral, and Management of Post-Stroke Spasticity 

TIA: Approach for non-neurologists based on Canadian best practice guidelines.   

The ABI Provincial Network in collaboration with Nova Scotia Health’s Integrated Acute and Episodic Care Network are pleased to present the Provincial Stroke Education Series.

The series is for all health care providers working with individuals who have experienced stroke at any stage in their care: prevention, acute/hyperacute, inpatient rehabilitation, ambulatory care, and community-based care.

The goal is to share information and resources specific to stroke care in Nova Scotia by reviewing health system performance data, showcasing research initiatives, and presenting case studies.

Education sessions occur 3 times a year on the 1^st Wednesday of the month in February, June, and October 12:15-1:00 om Teams.

To join the mailing list, contact abinetwork@nshealth.ca

Check out the slides and recordings from previous sessions (coming soon)

The Brain Repair Centre at Dalhousie University supports an ABI Journal Club that meets in the Central Zone on the 3rd Tuesday of the month from October to May each year. The goal of the journal club is to foster interest in research, build critical thinking skills, and improve comfort in presenting. Check out the articles presented, as well as the slides and a copy of the recordings:

A concussion is a traumatic brain injury caused by an impact or forceful motion to the head or body that causes the brain to move inside the skull.

Approximately 11, 300 Nova Scotians sustain a concussion annually¹. The majority of individuals fully recover by 3 months. Of those, 15-30%  (more than 1,500 per year) experience persistent symptoms that can result in poorer outcomes, including loss of time from work or school¹.

Early intervention results in better outcomes.

Check out these resources to learn more about diagnosis and management of concussion, patient education materials, local resources to support recovery, and self-management tools.

The Network maintains a Library Subject Guide on Stroke Care, which is an access point for practical, evidence-based information for health care professionals working with stroke survivors. It’s a one-stop place to learn about best practice guidelines and practical information for health care providers working with individuals living with stroke.

The GRASP is a self-directed arm and hand exercise program developed by Janice Eng, PhD, PT/OT and Jocelyn Harris, PhD, OT with Andrew Dawson, MD, FRCP and Bill Miller, PhD, OT, based on a previous community-based group exercise study for chronic stroke by Marco Y Pang, Jocelyn Harris and Janice Eng. It has been shown to improve arm and hand function and strength after stroke. It can be run as an individual or group program. Resources such as the instructor and client manuals are available on the UBC website.

The Occupational Therapy Department at the Nova Scotia Rehabilitation and Arthritis Centre have developed additional resources to implement the GRASP including equipment lists and where to find equipment, a level selection guide, how to set up a GRASP group, videos of each level, and a handout for clients with the video links.

With an increasing number of stroke patients being admitted to hospital there has been a rise in the number of patients are being admitted to non-neurological units. We recognize the need for improving clinicians’ comfort and skill level in providing best practice care. To this end, informal information sessions were held where experienced stroke care clinicians reviewed how to complete an initial assessment and shared practical tips to provide the best care possible.

Check out the slides and recordings of these sessions:

The following videos are recordings of the information sessions held for Central Zone Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy staff in May 2023. They reflect best practice at that time. They serve as an informal resource to clinicians within Nova Scotia Health to improve their comfort in providing stroke care. We ask that these resources not be shared outside of Nova Scotia Health.

The Network maintains a Library Subject Guide on Moderate to Severe ABI, which is an access point for practical, evidence-based information for health care professionals working with brain injury survivors. It contains best practice guidelines and practical information to support clinicians working with individuals living with brain injury.

Changes in vision are common after stroke with 65% of stroke survivors experiencing some sort of vision change. Reduced vision (visual acuity) is the most common change. Virtual (on-line) scanning programs can help with visual neglect and visual field cut. 

Learn more at the British and Irish Orthoptic Orthoptic Society and view the attachments below.