From the Hospital towards Social Reintegration: the Support Path for People with Severe Acquired Brain Injury and their Families

As a result of the profound economic crisis, the welfare system in Italy has been affected during the last decade, by a strong reduction of operators at its services. In such a context, social workers are increasingly... [ view full abstract ]

As a result of the profound economic crisis, the welfare system in Italy has been affected during the last decade, by a strong reduction of operators at its services. In such a context, social workers are increasingly implementing interventions in order to cope with "urgencies" rather than to come up with ways to promote the well-being of the people. The importance of implementing such paths is particularly evident in situations characterized by a high social and health complexity, situations which make it essential to assist the person and the family in order to cope with the problems from the very beginning and to create a personalized project together.
In the present essay, the focus is on issues related to people with Severe Acquired Brain Injury and their families; the disease brings about profound changes in the family. After the first rehabilitation phase, whose intervention is aimed at improving the physical and cognitive abilities of the person, a second and very critical phase begins, as it is of great importance to involve the family in a process of reorganization and social reintegration.
In particular, we will show you the methodology and the development phases of a research-action carried out in collaboration with the Centre for Research and Service on Social and Health Integration of the Polytechnic University of Marche, Rehabilitation Institute “Santo Stefano”, Brain Injury Association "Andrea" and other voluntary organizations. In this research, carried out in the years 2011-2013 in the Marche Region, the social workers supported, for the first six months after hospital discharge, people and their families, in order to identify the responses suitable for the complexity of their needs.
We will also present the outcomes of the interventions, identifying a possibly ‘ideal’ path, which allows social workers to reconsider some of the ways in which they work.