Speech rehabilitation is an important service that is provided to individuals who struggle with verbally communicating. The following article will begin by giving a brief introduction to what speech rehabilitation is, and after that, we will slowly go deeper to discuss the topic more in-depth. Speech rehabilitation has a significant place in the lives of those who need improvements in their communication skills and those who have speech disorders. Speech rehabilitation helps individuals by enhancing articulation, treating speech disorders, and enhancing communication skills. However, the indications that you might need speech rehabilitation involve speech, voice, communication, and motor disorders. Then we will discuss how speech rehabilitation helps people boost their communication skills, improve articulation, and enhance their standard of living. We have also provided a step-by-step guide to the procedure for speech rehabilitation. 

Click this link to open the Document.

Website: https://www.interiorhealth.ca/services/acquired-brain-injury-services 

Interior Health - Acquired Brain Injury Services - Interior Health Acquired Brain Injury Services help adults living in the community who are 19 to 64 years old and have a documented brain injury. Acquired Brain Injury services also help families, caregivers, and staff in supporting individuals with brain injury and in understanding and managing the changes to their family that may occur after brain injury.   Services may not be available in your community.  Contact your local Home and Community Care office.

Website: https://www.braininjuryalliance.ca/ 

The Brain Injury Alliance is a province wide organization in British Columbia composed of individuals and organizations working together to improve the quality of life for persons living with a brain injury, their families, and their communities.

Website: https://www.nbia.ca/

Northern Brain Injury Association - Our mission is to advance brain injury prevention, education and support in order to reduce injury, and improve the quality of life for all those who are affected by its life altering effects.

Website: https://www.pgbig.ca/ 

Prince George Brain Injured Group Society - The Prince George Brain Injured Group (PG BIG) is a charitable non-profit organization with the mission of providing education, prevention and community rehabilitation to enhance the lives of persons living with the effects of acquired brain injury (ABI), and their families, in and around Prince George, British Columbia.

Website: https://www.kbia.ca/ 

Kamloops Brain Injury Association - KBIA advocates for and provides specialized programs to survivors of acquired brain injuries, and facilitates education and awareness in the community.

Website: https://www.fraserhealth.ca/health-topics-a-to-z/brain-injury/brain-injury-services 

Fraser Health - Acquired Brain Injury Services  Helping those who have experienced brain injuries after birth.

Website: https://www.brainstreams.ca/our-work/the-bc-brain-injury-association/  

Brainstreams.ca is the official website of the The BC Brain Injury Association (BCBIA). We are a non-profit provincial organization in British Columbia serving the interests of the acquired brain injury population. It was founded in 1982 and was incorporated July 6th, 1983. In November 2012, BCBIA and the Pacific Coast Brain Injury Conference Society (PCBICS) joined together to become one organization with a focused and clear purpose to support the province of BC’s brain injury community. BCBIA engaged The Governance Group to help facilitate the merger and to lead the new board through a strategic planning process and active board governance development. The strategic planning and governance development process began in the spring of 2014.

Website: https://braininjurycanada.ca/en

Brain Injury Canada - Supporting the brain injury community through education, advocacy, awareness and collaboration. Brain Injury Canada is engaging people with lived experience to set the research agenda for solutions to key issues such as traumatic brain injury. We’re working to support our funded researchers in designing their projects to achieve maximum impact. And we’re filling gaps in the early stages of the clinical research pathway with partners who know how to bring ideas to market.

Website: https://braininjurycanada.ca/en

Health Link BC - traumatic brain injury

 Website: https://www.headway.org.uk/ 

Headway - Brain Injury Support - good info but based in UK

About the Tools & Tips Document

This comprehensive document was created by local occupational therapist, Bebe Makena. It presents a variety of adaptive aids, some durable medical equipment, and functional modification tips to address a diverse set of needs that are commonly seen when providing care. Where possible, it lists some how-to insights on making your own. Bebe hopes to build this page out more in the future. 

The lists, pictures, and descriptions in this document do NOT constitute an endorsement of or prescription for any of the items or methods therein. You are expected to use this as an informational guide to do your own research and decision-making process. You are strongly encouraged to try something before you buy it when possible.  

Will the Ministry or Secondary Insurance Pay for a Device?

The Ministry's basic health services plan along with some secondary health insurance plans will cover some items, but not all. For example, they're more likely to cover a walker than a sock aid or an inspection mirror. Check with your health plan to learn more about what they will and won't cover for you and what requirements they need if they are willing to cover the expense. For example, they may need a prescription from your doctor, a letter of recommendation from a therapist who has assessed you, and/or a quote for the cost of the item from a vendor. 

Click this link to open the Tools & Tips Document.

Excellent overview of stroke rehabilitation, terms, resources, specific issues like eating, and so much more: https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/illnesses-conditions/heart-health-and-stroke/stroke-rehabilitation 

Information on community-based rehabilitation services: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/accessing-health-care/home-community-care/care-options-and-cost/community-rehabilitation. If you look at the left side-bar of this webpage, you will find additional resource information that may be helpful.

Website: https://www.heartandstroke.ca/ 

There is a lot of educational information here on heart disease and on stroke. It is worthwhile exploring even if one has reviewed the BC websites simply because this one has different information that is equally useful including a Services and Resources page found here: https://www.heartandstroke.ca/services-and-resources.

Website: https://www.cardiachealth.ca/ 

This website also contains educational information on heart disease and stroke. They also have healthy recipes and healthy lifestyle information.

Websites:

• CanStroke: https://canadianstroke.ca/ 

• Provincial Health Services Authority Stroke Services BC: http://www.phsa.ca/our-services/programs-services/stroke-services-bc 

• Canadian Partnership for Stroke Recovery: http://www.ebrsr.com/  

These websites have information aimed at clinicians and researchers, however some information may also be interesting and useful to clients and caregivers.

• This specific page on CanStroke with VERY useful links to interventions, apps, videos, and more: https://canadianstroke.ca/tools-and-resources/ 

• One of the links here will take you to Stroke Engine. This page in Stroke Engine has a list of clinically researched interventions to explore: https://strokengine.ca/en/interventions/

Website: https://www.afterstroke.ca/ 

Lovely website with well-organized and useful resources including peer support and caregiver guides which can be found here: https://www.afterstroke.ca/resources/.

Website:  https://www.marchofdimes.ca/en-ca/programs/acs

Communication is one of the most basic ways we have of participating in our communities. Aphasia and other communication disorders can make that difficult. This is where MODC’s Alternative Communication Services come in.

Caregivers Support Groups 

There are 2 caregiver groups. One for spouses of stroke survivors called the Life Partners group. It's offered the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month from 5-6pm PT.  They also offer another caregiver group for families that's offered the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month from 5-6pm.

Register here for either group.

https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=LgLPEQJhz0Oew_OpyuNE5QXNoOLeJRdFqZSa1ki6KXpUNEFHVUNTN0FWMjFaQzYxVDhZRjEyUFJRUyQlQCN0PWcu

Website: https://strokerecoverybc.ca/ 

There is information here on the steps to recovering from a stroke, modifying one’s home, educating caregivers, finding support funding, learning how to communicate using technology aids, and more. They also provide information for support groups, virtual speech exercises, some physical exercises, and links to more physical rehabilitation resources.

• This website will also refer you to a UK website called Stroke Association: https://stroke.org.uk/.

• On this page, one can find online exercise programs: https://www.stroke.org.uk/stroke/life-after/exercise.

• Watch the introductory videos (step 1) then select which exercise group you best fit into (step 2). This will take you to a set of videos to perform over 4 weeks.

• The videos are free. After these have been completed, there are 12 additional weeks of videos to continue to make progress.

The Stroke Recovery Association of BC website will also link to Stroke Class: https://strokeclass.com/.

• On this page, there is one 25-minute exercise video that is free. The remaining videos do require a fee.

Website:  https://interior-west.pathwaysbc.ca/programs/2256

Stroke Recovery Navigator Program

Website: https://www.aphasia.ca/health-care-providers/resources-and-tools/free-resources/ 

Free Resources for folks that have aphasia

Website:  https://aphasiarecoveryconnection.org/ 

Aphasia Recovery Connection

Website: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/accessing-health-care/home-community-care/care-options-and-cost/home-support 

 BC-wide overview (good info)

Website: https://www.interiorhealth.ca/health-and-wellness/home-and-community-care 

Another overview from IH with some instructional info.  We support a philosophy that home, with appropriate supports, is the best place to recover from illness and injury, manage chronic conditions and live out final days. Seniors who have been admitted to hospital will likely recover more slowly than younger people. Evidence shows that leaving hospital as soon as possible and recuperating at home with home supports and community services is better than waiting in hospital to fully regain your strength before returning home. 

 Website: https://bc.211.ca/result/better-at-home-south-cariboo-87134697/  

Better at Home - South Cariboo

Assists seniors age 65 and over who require help with non-medical daily tasks to maintain independent living within their homes and remain connected to their communities. Services include light housekeeping, grocery shopping, friendly visits, snow shovelling, minor home repairs, light yard work, and transportation to medical and other critical appointments/social recreational activities. Fees are charged for some services on a sliding scale (based on income). Serves the South Cariboo (100 Mile House, 108 Mile House, 70 Mile House, Canim Lake, Clinton, Lac La Hache, and Lone Butte). Program hours are vary. Funded by Ministry of Health (MOH) and managed by United Way BC.

Website: https://www.loveyourbrain.com/yoga/

Love Your Brain Yoga builds resilience, community connection, and wellbeing - Our research-backed program supports people with brain injury and caregivers to no matter where they are in their healing journey.