Group hopes Canada will recognize brain injuries as a chronic condition

End Homelessness Winnipeg hopes acquired brain injuries will soon be recognized as a chronic condition in Canada, so federal supports are made available for people who live with them.

Betty Edel with End Homelessness Winnipeg says approximately 50 per cent of people experiencing homelessness have some form of acquired brain injury, and require more support.

“Can we at least agree in the interim? When people are presenting in hospitals, they are not being released into the community. Like how do we coordinate the support services in there?” Edel asked.

“One group cannot do this! Like it’s so important that we all coordinate and work together,” Edel added. “It’s like the ripple effect, like if we get this, what does it mean and how do we make sure that we’re providing the good support that people need?”

Alexandra Beasse with the Manitoba Brain Injury Association says sports accidents, interpersonal violence and drug abuse can all lead to brain injuries that may require life-long supports which aren’t readily available.

“Brain injuries can happen from internal sources like having an aneurism or suffering a stroke – while those areas are better covered by healthcare in terms of supports, acquired brain injury, there are a lot fewer supports,” explained Beasse.

“There are a lot of undiagnosed brain injuries, if you’re already in the margins and you don’t have a caring support group around you, there may be no one to point out that: your behaviour has changed, your abilities have changed, or that you’re acting differently. All that happens is that if you’re already marginally housed, they’re one step away from being homeless.”

End Homelessness Winnipeg says a committee has recently formed to try and centralize Winnipeg data on who in the city’s homeless population has an ABI, and what resources they need.