About the Family Support Program

Family Support

Family Support focuses on the needs of those who are often most affected but least recognized in the life of an individual with a brain injury - the family members. Like a rock thrown into a pond, brain injury creates a ripple effect and can fracture the stability of close and extended relationships. While the survivor of the stroke or traumatic event receives attention, care and support, there is often little care and support available to those who are left to pick up the pieces. Without consistent support, information, and networking opportunities, the consequences can be severe. These new caregivers can become disenfranchised with their former identities, leading to isolation, illness, depression, burnout and often, divorce.

The Family Caregiver Support Group meets weekly on Wednesdays, from 10:00am to noon, at the Community Campus in Portsmouth, NH. These groups are designed for family members to gather together to talk about their concerns and to get and give support. Please go to Family Caregiver Support for more information. Please see the SteppingStones Schedule for the dates.

Member Support

Individuals living with brain injury in the community, especially those living alone, can find the financial situation overwhelming. Accessing guidelines and deadlines for assistance while staying current on existing bills can create a high level of stress. In addition, some people living with brain injury find just getting through the day to be a daunting task that requires an enormous amount of willpower and strength. The risk of “falling through the cracks” is significant and getting outside help is crucial. Our goal is to help our members navigate the available resources and provide a supportive community environment to learn and share experiences. Specialized case management and support is available to members through groups and on a individual basis.

Family Support Interns

The Family Support Program welcomes student interns to learn, grow, make a difference and prepare for their next life step. Through our collegiate partnerships we are able to offer internships at different levels for a variety of disciplines. As a result, these interns have the unique experience of working as a part of an interdisciplinary team in a collaborative process. Reciprocal learning, respect and support are the by-products of the student/student, student/staff, student/family and student /member relationships.

We are delighted to see an increase in the number of human service students from Psychology, Bachelor Social Work, Masters Social Work and Family Studies programs who are seeking internships through the Family Support Program. The Human Service Interns work closely with the Family Support Director and become peer supports for one another, regardless of discipline. These selected interns learn how to facilitate mental health groups with other students, meet one to one with members and family members, attend the Family Caregiver Support Groups and run the evening group, do home visits, tour other brain injury programs, collaborate on special projects to improve the programs of the Foundation, find community resources, learn about brain injury, and make real connections with the people who attend the SteppingStones Program. They have the opportunity to make a difference – and they do. And they take what they’ve learned with us out into the world. They become better advocates for people living with a disability.