Brain and Spinal Injury Care

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Geneva provides specialised at-home care for people with traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries, with an aim to lower barriers and improve quality of life. Our personalised treatment plans and modern techniques ensure that our spine injury care and TBI support is a trusted choice in Aotearoa.

Brain and spinal injuries: the impact

Traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries can have a significant impact on a person’s life in many different ways. Each case is different; there is no one set of symptoms or challenges and no two individuals require the exact same spinal cord injury management or brain injury support.

The Neurological Foundation estimates that 100 mild head injuries occur in New Zealand every day. ACC estimates that 35,000 New Zealanders suffer from traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) each year. The New Zealand Spinal Cord Injury Registry’s 2021 report puts spinal cord injuries at an annual rate of about 41 per million. However you look at the statistics, there are many New Zealanders dealing with the aftermath of these traumatic events.

The following are some common impacts of a brain or spinal injury:

  • Physical impairments: Damage to the brain or spinal cord can result in physical limitations including varying degrees of paralysis and chronic pain or loss of control over various bodily functions.
  • Cognitive impairments: Traumatic brain injuries particularly can cause fatigue, memory loss, issues with attention or problem-solving, and other types of cognitive impairment.
  • Emotional and behavioural changes: While brain injuries can directly affect emotions and behaviour, spinal injuries can also result in depression or anxiety.

The impacts of a spinal or brain injury can be minor, major or somewhere in between, but no matter the severity of such an injury, it’s important to seek medical treatment. Having the right home care plan in place can make a big difference to recovery and ongoing quality of life.

Our spine injury care and TBI support services provide the people we support with the care they need to live a more normal life in both the long and short term.

How does at-home traumatic brain and spinal injury care work?

Our care services are provided in the comfort of your own home, ensuring you can receive the assistance you need integrated into your own normal routines and rhythms. With immense depth and breadth of experience within our care teams, we can offer quality care that addresses medical, physical, social, and emotional needs.

The process of seeking spinal or brain injury care with Geneva might look like this:

  • You are referred to our services by your GP or another medical professional.
  • A meeting is arranged with yourself, your support people, and relevant qualified parties on our end to discuss what kind of help you need.
  • A personal care plan is developed.
  • Care is provided in your home according to the plan: this will look very different for each of the people we support: it’s tailored to your needs.
  • Regular check-ins ensure that your care is continuing to meet your evolving requirements.

Geneva has a full range of healthcare professionals and support workers available to ensure you get the best possible care: nurses, doctors, physiotherapists, home help aides, occupational therapists and more.

Understanding different types of brain injuries

Brains are very complex organs; injuries happen under unique and individual circumstances. This means that no two instances of a brain injury are the same. These categories often overlap, and lines can be blurred. Each case is different, and at Geneva, we understand the need for bespoke brain injury support. The following are some broad categories:

Traumatic brain injuries

These are injuries to the brain caused by a traumatic event such as a crash, an assault, or a fall. They can be closed (an impact to the head with no penetration of the skull) or open (the skull is fractured and/or penetrated). There is a wide range of effects a TBI can have, from headaches to altered states of consciousness to ongoing cognitive impairment to brain death.

Acquired brain injuries

This category covers injuries which have been acquired any time since birth, in cases like an illness or a medical event such as a stroke (traumatic brain injuries are also considered acquired). They can also be caused by prolonged substance abuse. The effects are widely varied and often unpredictable.

Concussion

This can be caused by a blow to the head or a sudden change in speed (such as in a motor accident). These can be mild or severe, and cause an array of symptoms. Concussions are fairly common, particularly amongst players of impact sports. Repeated concussions can cause serious damage.

Hypoxic brain injuries

These happen when the brain receives some but not enough oxygen for a period of time. They can be caused by breathing problems and also by severe blood loss, as there is not enough oxygenated blood to the brain.

Understanding different types of spinal injuries

The spine and spinal cord are crucial to the mobility and function of the entire body, and injuries to either can have significant impacts. No two injuries are the same; recovery and management of long-term effects will always be unique to the individual. Here are some of the categories that spinal injuries can fall into:

Complete spinal cord injury

Any spinal injury can be considered complete or incomplete. A complete spinal cord injury is one in which the spinal cord is severed or irreparably damaged, and the damage is permanent.

Incomplete spinal cord injury

This is an injury in which the spinal cord is only partially damaged, often resulting in partial impairment below the site of the injury. The damage may not be permanent.

While the complete and incomplete distinction and the location of the injury do make a difference, there is a wide range of injury types within these categories. The impacts they have on an individual will vary even further. Quality spine injury care must respond to diverse needs.

Beyond the complete/incomplete dichotomy, there are four types of spinal injuries categorised by location:

Cervical

Injuries that occur in the region of the C1-C7 vertebrae (at the top of the spine). Nerves here are crucial to upper body movement.

Thoracic

Injuries that occur in the upper-middle back, in the region of the T1-T12 vertebrae. Nerves here are critical in transmitting signals from the spinal cord to other specific areas of the body.

Lumbar

Injuries to the middle-lower back, in the region of the large and strong L1-L5 vertebrae. Nerves here connect the central nervous system to the lower body, and the vertebrae are built to support the body’s weight.

Sacral

Injuries to the lower back, in the region of the S1-S5 vertebrae which are fused together. Nerves in this region control functions and sensations in the lower body and pelvis.

Why choose Geneva for your spinal or brain injury care?

Compassionate and professional care: Our team of care providers are empathetic, competent, and respectful of the fact that they are coming into your home. This is an important foundational value here at Geneva.

Comprehensive wrap-around support: Spinal and brain injury care can be complex and involve many different needs and treatment types. We ensure that your care plan takes into account all of these intricacies and treats you as a whole person, not just your injury.

Personalised, flexible services: No two individuals are the same; no two brain or spinal injuries are either. Geneva will tailor your brain and spinal cord injury management to your situation and your symptoms, ensuring you get what you need.

Geneva is New Zealand’s trusted provider of healthcare and in-home support services, a top choice for people of all kinds who require extra support. Good spinal and brain injury support is so crucial in allowing the people we support to live a more normal life. We make it our mission to ensure this care is accessible to those who will benefit from it.

At Geneva Healthcare, we are committed to quality. We build trusting relationships and prioritise communication to make sure we’re providing each of the people we support with services that help to support their comfort, wellbeing, and quality of life.

Frequently asked questions: brain and spinal injury

TBI is an acronym that stands for “traumatic brain injury.” This is a brain injury caused by a traumatic event such as a fall, an assault, or a crash.

There are few potential treatments for brain injuries, and specific treatment will depend on the type and severity of the injury. Occasionally, surgery is appropriate. Otherwise, time is often the best treatment, with painkillers, other medications, and other assistance to manage symptoms. Always seek medical advice.

There is no single care plan for these kinds of injuries. Each individual will have different needs, and at Geneva we create tailored care plans accordingly. Often, the people we support will require help with everyday tasks that become more challenging after the injury.

While we provide in-home support for individuals with brain and spinal injuries, this is not treatment of the injury itself: you should always seek medical attention.

The wide range of severity and symptoms for brain and spinal injuries means that timelines are entirely individual to each situation.

You may be entitled to funding for your at-home traumatic brain injury care and spinal cord injury support. Contact us for advice or talk to your GP, healthcare professional, NASC, Services Connector or ACC Coordinator for a referral.