Spinal cord injury rehabilitation — we help you move forward with confidence
The initial weeks and months of spinal cord injury rehabilitation are very challenging and are typically spent in hospital. The paralysis from a damaged spinal cord frequently results in traumatic and permanent disability, which may affect mobility, sensation, and bladder, bowel or sexual function.
PBF Australia’s Peer Support Program is unique, supporting new spinal cord injury rehabilitation patients to move forward with confidence. Offering non-clinical advice and mobility skills training, enabling a person who has experienced a spinal cord injury to continue to live a vibrant and independent life.
Professional support to help ease the impact of a spinal cord injury during rehabilitation.
Our Peer Support Program is delivered by compassionate individuals who are themselves living as paraplegic or quadriplegic members of the community. With more than 55 years collective experience they offer non-clinical advice, information and emotional support to patients, their family, and friendship networks.
“For the past nine years, I have worked closely with the PBF peer support team on the Spinal Units at both Shenton Park Campus and Fiona Stanley Hospital. The benefits of having people who are living with a spinal cord injury providing personal knowledge and experience to newly-injured patients and their families cannot be underestimated. I have seen how patients learn and engage more with people who overcome daily challenges themselves; such as the practical skills of how to get in and out of a car, or learning how to put their jeans on in the morning. Even the most experienced spinal clinicians can’t share these little tricks and tips that the peer support team have learnt to make their own lives easier. Perhaps most importantly they provide moral support, inspiration and real life experience to our patients and their families.”
Anne Watts – Nurse Unit Manager, Spinal Rehab, WA State Rehabilitation Service.