PHILOSOPHY
Client + Family Centered Programming/Self-Advocacy
NRS has been a leader in the area of client and family centered programming since our inception in 1987. Client and family programming involves:
- Providing caring, compassionate programming.
- Seeking out client and family member concerns, preferences and priorities.
- Building on individual strengths and interests.
- Supporting client choice and risk taking.
As well, we provide specific Self-Advocacy programming to assist clients and families to develop the confidence and skills they need to advocate for themselves. This skill is important as most clients with brain injury are left with some residual long term deficits, and will be faced with managing their own life long learning process once their formal rehabilitation program is complete.
Successful Advocacy means:
- Clients and families participate actively in all parts of the process. They are encouraged to communicate their strengths, needs and priorities to others, and assisted to make informed decisions about their rehabilitation program.
- Clients and family members engage in regular team meetings. Agendas for meetings are pre-set by the client, family and team, and decisions are make in a collaborative fashion.
- Clients and families are encouraged to try different strategies and to choose those that work best for them.
- Attention is paid to both direct support and effective communication.
- Goals and plans are continually modified in a dynamic process.
- Specific strategies, such as Self-Advocacy Videos, are implemented.
Who is part of the team?
- Clients and family members
- Rehabilitation professionals (at NRS, specific Self-Advocacy programming is usually championed by an NRS occupational therapist)
- Employers, colleagues, teachers, friends and other members of the community
Who can benefit?
- Students from pre-school to university
- Individuals resuming household management and/or community activities
- Individuals returning to work
