Local brain injury charity Headway Preston and Chorley is needed now more than ever according to the results of a survey published by Headway UK.
The survey, which explored the impact of COVID-19 on people affected by brain injury, found that more than half of brain injury survivors have lost access to rehabilitation services as a result of lockdown and are finding isolation very difficult.
Early rehabilitation following brain injury can be crucial in helping survivors to regain a degree of independence and relearn lost skills, including walking and talking. But 57% of those who sustained their injuries within the past two years say their access to rehabilitation and community groups has been negatively impacted.
A further 64% of those living with the long-term effects of brain injury reported a deterioration in their mental health as a result of the measures implemented to control the spread of COVID-19, while almost two thirds say they now fear for their futures.
The key findings revealed:
· 57% of people who sustained a brain injury within the past two years reported that their rehabilitation has been negatively impacted
· Two thirds of respondents reported a negative impact on their psychological wellbeing
· 62% of respondents fear for their future
· 50% have lost access to vital support that helps them to cope
· 42% say their rehabilitation has been negatively impacted
See attached press release for more information.