Professional Directory

Brain Injury Services Directory

The Brain Injury Association of Waterloo Wellington (BIAWW) is very pleased to present the Brain Injury Services Directory for the Waterloo and Wellington areas. We aim to provide current information to survivors of brain injuries and their families about services that are specifically related to relieving symptoms and effects of brain injury.
 
The Directory is structured to provide a brief explanation of each profession or service and a link to a listing of those providing that service and their contact information. Although we have made every effort to include the most comprehensive and current listing of appropriate individuals and services, we also recognize that the field is dynamic and ever changing. Please report all additions, deletions and errors to [email protected]. Interested professionals who would like to be added to our directory, please contact [email protected] for more information.
The Brain Injury Association of Waterloo Wellington (BIAWW) is not engaged in rendering medical, legal or other professional advice. The BIAWW does not endorse any organization or professional listed in this directory. While trying to be inclusive, we have made efforts to see that the organizations and professionals listed in this directory have experience in working with clients with brain injuries. However, the BIAWW cannot take responsibility for any advice given or actions taken by any organizations or professionals listed in this directory. The BIAWW has worked hard to ensure that the information provided in this text is both comprehensive and accurate. Any errors, either of omission or accuracy, should to be reported immediately to the BIAWW. ​
What are Attendant Care Nursing Services?

They offer companionship, supervision and personal care services in the comfort and convenience of a person's own home making it possible for them to remain living at home rather than move to a facility
How can Attendant Care Nursing Services help with Brain Injury?
  • Reduce the stress and anxiety that comes with life-changing injuries
  • Handle care and medical needs
  • Provide basic care
  • Liaise between healthcare services and your family
​What do Case Managers do?

They help clients find the resources they need, and coordinate care for them. 
How Can a Case Manager help with Brain Injury?
  • Cognition, behavior, and physical abilities so survivors can maximally be part of their community.
  • Help develop a plan to achieve goals.
  • Build rehabilitation teams to help survivors and their families. 
What do Clinical Neuropsychologists do?
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They help with memory, changes in mood, learning difficulties, and symptoms from Stroke, traumatic brain injuries, and learning disabilities.
How can a Clinical Neuropsychologist help with Brain Injury?
 
Assessment of memory, attention, reasoning, cognitive skills, personality and mood. 
 
Treatment:
  • Teaching patients about brain injury symptoms and recovery patterns.
  • Help practice memory, reasoning and other cognitive skills to retrain the brain.
  • Help determine when it’s safe to return to normal routines.
  • Help develop cognitive and psychological strategies for living/working with a brain injury.
  • Provide brain injury education to patient families to further support rehabilitation goals.
​What does a Kinesiologist do?

They are experts in body movement and focus on prevention and well being,increasing worker productivity and reducing time lost to injuries and accidents, and helping you get back to work and health faster.
How can a Kinesiologist help with Brain Injury?
  • Home Assessment
  • Ergonomics (home or work)
  • Assistive/adaptive devices assessment and utilization
  • Assessment of attendant care needs
  • Functional ability evaluation
  • Transferable skills analysis
  • Critical task inventory and evaluation
  • Work accommodation, return-to-work coordination
  • Case/program management
  • Automobile accident or disability claims management
  • Gait assessment
What do Occupational Therapists do? They help with:
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  • Strength, balance and coordination;
  • Memory, coping strategies, organizational skills;
  • Materials or devices you may need for daily activities;
  • Social and emotional support at home, school, work or in the community;
  • The physical setup of your house, classroom, workplace or other environment ​
How can Occupational Therapists help with Brain Injury? They....
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Educate, and suggest ideas to make everyday living easier such as:
  • around the house – e.g. a special key holder to make turning keys easier
  • sports or leisure activities – e.g. a playing cards holder
  • work or school – e.g. special tools that help prevent injury to hands and back
  • care of yourself – e.g. special bath or toilet seats
  • transportation – e.g. car modifications such as one-handed steering wheels
Recommend and work with you to:
  • change the physical layout of your workplace, home or school as needed
  • find out about the supports in your community
  • work with the people in your community to help them understand any limitations
What are Optometry services?

Optometrists can perform eye exams and provide prescriptions for glasses and contact lenses. They can assess your eye health and check for red eyes, cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration, and other conditions.
How can an Optometrist help with brain injury?
  • Prism glasses to ease  visual discomfort
  • Syntonic Light Therapy to make the visual system more comfortable and help the healing process
  • Vision therapy which includes monitored visual activities introduced slowly
What do Personal Injury Lawyers do? 
​      
They help people who have been injured, physically or psychologically, as a result of the negligence of another person, company, government agency or any entity. 
How can a Personal Injury Lawyer help with Brain Injury?
 
Brain injury survivors in Ontario may be eligible for compensation to address short- and long-term needs.
A legal professional can assist you:
  • Understand the complex nature of the injury
  • Prove the full extent of your injury to the insurer/courts
  • Navigate the legal system
  • Build the strongest case possible
  • Gather evidence to support your claim.
  • Secure medical expert testimony when necessary.
  • Build and present your case to insurers or the court.
  • Fight for Maximum Compensation
  • Protect Your Best Interests
What does a Physiotherapist do?     
They can help with  injury prevention, rehabilitation after illness or injury, management of acute and chronic conditions, and promote health and fitness ​
How can a Physiotherapist help with a brain injury?
  • Ongoing movement problems
  • Balance  
  • Vestibular rehabilitation (to treat dizziness) 
  • Treatment of neck symptoms
  • Balance retraining
  • Assessments of attention and cognitive function
What does a Rehabilitation Therapist do?
  • Promote and support client independence
  • Help clients practice independence in activities of daily living as well as community activities, continuing education, recreational activities, and vocational training. 
  • Help the client develop and sustain a positive weekly routine, increased productivity and quality of life.
How does a Rehabilitation Therapist help with brain injury? They…
  • Focus on teaching the client habits/routines that can be used in managing everyday life
  • Break a complex activity down into manageable steps for the client 
  • Provide support as the client practices the activity independently and with increasing frequency.
  • Establish trust and a good therapeutic relationship by joining the client in various activities in their community
  • Collect data and identify potential challenges or triggers and pass these observations to their team through regular reports and documentation.
What do Social Workers/Psychotherapists do?
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Social Workers/Psychotherapists support individuals, couples, and families in navigating emotional, social, and practical challenges arising from trauma, illness, injury, and life transitions. They also advocate for equitable access to care, services, and resources to promote well-being and social justice.
How can a Social Worker or Psychotherapist help with a Brain Injury?

​They…
  • Assess emotional, psychosocial, and family needs
  • Provide individual, couple, and family counselling
  • Support trauma recovery and emotional adjustment
  • Coordinate care and help navigate healthcare, legal, and social systems
  • Connect clients with financial aid, medical services, and community resources
  • Advocate for client rights and equitable access to services
  • Educate and support families to build resilience and long-term well-being
What does a Speech-Language Pathologist do?
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An SLP can help with communication and swallowing problems.
How can a Speech-Language Pathologist help with a brain injury?
  • Word finding
  • Fluency of speech
  • Memory
  • Organizational skills
  • Sharing ideas verbally and in writing
  • Communicate in social situations
  • Improve reasoning, problem solving, and decision making
What is Vestibular Rehabilitation?
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It is an exercise-based program, designed to improve balance and reduce problems related to dizziness
How can Vestibular Rehabilitation help with a brain injury?
​
People referred for vestibular rehabilitation include those who have had a stroke or brain injury, and are dealing with a combination of the following:
  • Dizziness or blurry vision with head movements
  • Neck tightness, stiffness and/or pain
  • Imbalance or the need to hold onto objects when walking
  • Headaches
  • Frequent falls
  • Generalized “dizziness, wooziness and foggy head” feelings
  • Vertigo or spinning
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