Exhibits represented over forty vendors from across the pediatric and adult rehabilitation and disability service spectrum. Booths included acute and sub-acute facilities with certified stroke, brain injury, and vent units, attorneys specializing in elder law and brain injury litigation, Medicaid enrollment specialists, home care and developmental disabilities agencies, home accessibility and modification specialists, and expert physical and occupational therapists.

A highlight of the evening was the captivating and engaging presentation by distinguished attorney Harry Rothenberg, Esq. on the topic, "The Challenge of Brain Injury: A Journey for the Entire Family." Mr. Rothenberg discussed the importance of "de-stigmatizing" brain injury and offered valuable tips to families who coping with this often difficult journey.

Of particular interest were representatives of an adaptive driving school and mobility company whose vehicles were on display outside the hall, a prestigious music therapy program, an aphasia organization, an outdoors program for the disabled, and a pediatric brain injury school and foundation.

Audience members streamed into the hall and moved from exhibit to exhibit, gathering an abundance of valuable and information and material. Several facilities were represented by their medical directors, thereby offering participants the opportunity to network directly with top professionals in the field.

This year's expo featured an exciting new Research and Clinical Trial Section, allowing attendees a unique chance to meet and speak with researchers and investigators from leading research facilities including Blythedale, Burke, Colombia, Cornell, Kessler, Mt. Sinai and Rusk. The research section proved to be a very popular feature of the expo as family members visited each booth and eagerly learned about the latest cutting edge research and clinical trials currently being offered at these top facilities.

BINA's Director of Crisis Intervention Authors Article on Brain Injury   

The following article appeared in Yated Ne'eman and is reprinted with permission.  

By Elchanan Schwarz, LMHC 

A 45 year old father of 8 suffers a stroke. A 13 year old boy loses oxygen to the brain following a near-drowning incident. A 28 year old mother of three needs emergency surgery for an aneurysm. A 72 year old grandmother falls on an icy sidewalk and hits her head, causing bleeding to the brain.

Family and friends see the individual at home once again, walking and talking, and apparently back to "business as usual." But what's really going on behind the scenes? Is a father able to resume his role as breadwinner and emotionally supportive husband? Can a young boy keep up with the rough and tumble play and sometimes cutting banter of his friends? Will a family of children have the organized, patient and loving mother that they knew before? Uncertainty, confusion, distractibility, frustration and even anger are the unforeseen, yet all too common, obstacles to picking up the pieces of life as it was before a brain injury.

Often, only the survivor and immediate family are aware of the "hidden" consequences of a serious brain injury. (In fact, even survivors are sometimes unable to recognize their own deficits, a condition known as anosognosia.) Although not uncommon, it is important to note that not all stroke and TBI survivors are affected by these issues, which can include irritability, impulsivity, disinhibition, and "mood swings", as well as depression, anxiety and lack of motivation.

The first step towards dealing with these challenges is to understand that they are the result of neurological changes to the brain as a result of the injury. Understanding the source of these changes and knowing that they are common can alleviate some of the fear and panic that understandably arise, and prevent the unnecessary pain and suffering that result from blaming the patient or viewing the behaviors as deliberate.

Just as physical, occupational and speech therapists help regain motor skills, activities of daily living and speech and language, so too can a brain injury survivor make great strides in the cognitive, behavioral and emotional realm with proper guidance from a neuropsychologist and a team of specially trained therapists.

At BINA's recent spousal support group, "Like-Minded," Dr. David Biderman, noted neuropsychologist at the world renowned Rusk Institute of Rehab Medicine, continued his lecture series on strategies for spouses to both prevent and cope with these unusual challenges with the goal of empowering families with positive actions.

The three-part series, entitled "Coping with Change Following a Brain Injury" has been very well received by the participants and is an important step on the road of brain injury recovery. The second session in the series, "Coaching Techniques for Common Scenarios", will take place on Sunday, 29 Tammuz/July 27; please contact BINA at 718-645-6400 ext. 25 or [email protected] for more information.

Elchanan Schwarz LMHC is the Director of Crisis Intervention and Caregiver Support at BINA Stroke and Brain Injury Assistance.  

Like-Minded

Brooklyn Reception Benefits Brain Injury Survivors and their Families  

An overflow crowd attended the second annual Brooklyn reception on Sunday, March 30 to support BINA's unique work providing guidance and assistance to stroke and brain injury survivors and their families.
 

The program opened with an address by Rabbi Aharon Glustein, co-founder of BINA, who suffered a stroke as a young man in his 20s. He compared the concepts of healing and education by analyzing Chapter 30 of Psalms and then connected this idea to brain injury survivors who often have to relearn many aspects of daily living. Yet despite the difficulty, one should rejoice from the realization that a new lease on life is possible.

Rabbi Shlomo Feivel Schustal, member of BINA's Rabbinical Board, then spoke emotionally of the many individuals who have personally told him of their tremendous gratitude to BINA for the assistance lent to them in their time of need. He specifically recognized the great efforts of Rabbi and Mrs. Glustein in stepping forward to fill a critical void, which has produced such an important and needed organization.   

A powerful presentation was given by Naftali Horowitz, speaking of his recently assumed role as chairman of BINA's Board of Directors. Recounting the terror and upheaval that have been described to him by family members of brain injury survivors, he repeated their words of how the injury struck in a millisecond, with no time for planning or to come up with a strategy. But they were not alone; BINA was at their side. He implored the crowd to share in BINA's burden as the only organization of its kind and ended by emphatically stating, "(We) need BINA; not only to survive, but to thrive."

The father of a brain injury survivor then shared his family's gripping journey beginning with the in-utero stroke of his son, and culminating in a traumatic brain injury suffered when the teenager was hit by a car a few years ago. After movingly describing his son's struggles and triumphs in overcoming his many challenges, he proudly announced his return that morning from a yeshiva in Israel. Thanking BINA for "always being there to guide you and show you that you're not alone," he ended by introducing his son who briefly addressed the crowd and played a recording of a song about his life which he both composed and sang.

The event was graced by the presence of recently elected Brooklyn Councilmember Chaim Deutsch. The program ended with an inspirational video presentation featuring the medical directors of world renowned rehabilitation facilities as well as brain injury survivors and their family members speaking about how BINA has impacted their lives.