BRAIN Support Programs

Friends of Brain Injury

(F.B.I.) is a social meeting that takes place weekly where brain injury survivors and community members gather together to share life.

The meetings are based on themes such as, “Healthy Meals for the Brain,” “Tricks for Retrieving Words,” and “The Benefits of Music for the Brain.” The facilitator of the group is Angela Mandas, MA CCC, a licensed and certified Speech Language Pathologist who donates her time to this two-hour activity weekly meeting. The benefits of F.B.I. include the following: social growth, a sense of self-worth, a time to laugh and a time to support each other. Negative thoughts are left at the door and all who enter leave with positive thoughts and lots of good energy.

F.B.I. Meetings are held Tuesdays from 5-7pm

 

 B.R.A.I.N. Partnership Program

B.R.A.I.N. offers the B.R.A.I.N. Partnership Program© with a host of valuable benefits. For a small donation, you will advance B.R.A.I.N.’s mission and be able to take advantage a variety of benefits available exclusively to B.R.A.I.N. Partners.

Start your basic B.R.A.I.N. Partnership today with a $50 donation sent to B.R.A.I.N. at

5656 Corporate Ave.
Cypress, Ca. 90630.

or click here to donate online

Here is what you will receive as a B.R.A.I.N. Partner:

Discounts on various classes and therapies

Social events for brain injury survivors and their family members

Discounts on treatments and services from our pre-screened experts

  • Hyperbaric oxygen treatments

  • Speech and language therapy

  • Cognitive Therapy

  • Physical Therapy

  • Massage Therapy

Brain Cells Program

The Brain Cells Program is a One-On-One Friendship Involving a Brain Injury Survivor and a Volunteer. The program was born as a result of numerous requests from the families/caregivers of brain-injured individuals who felt that their survivor, with little or no stimulation, began to regress while the caregiver was at work each day.

A female volunteer is matched with a female survivor by virtue of mutual interests and background. The volunteer befriends the survivor and comes to know the various challenges/frustrations the survivor faces and then helps her formulate a plan to set goals and attain them. The same type of friendship is arranged for male volunteers with male survivors.

The coordinator monitors the friendship by a process of monthly reporting. The volunteer must agree to contact his/her survivor at least weekly via email or phone and at least twice a month in person for coffee or an outing of some type. All volunteers must go through Live Scan fingerprinting and have a current driver’s license and insurance card on file with the coordinator. The organization asks that the commitment be for at least one year (or one school year).

If you’re interested in learning more about Brain Cells, please contact Joan Jensen, Brain Cells Coordinator, at joan.jensen@thebrainsite.org or call 714-717-3148

B.R.A.I.N. Cares For Our Military

B.R.A.I.N. is here to make a difference for all military personnel and their families.

At B.R.A.I.N. we are here to help and honor our military heroes. Did you know that Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), is the signature injury of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars?

Post-Traumatic Stress (PTS) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Awareness is paramount in connecting with the Veteran community. If you have PTS, it doesn’t mean you just have to live with it. In recent years, researchers from around the world have dramatically increased our understanding of what causes PTS and how to treat it. Hundreds of thousands of Veterans have gotten treatment for PTS-and treatment works. Whether you just returned from a deployment or have been home for 40 years, it’s never too late to get professional treatment or support for PTS. Receiving counseling or treatment as soon as possible can keep your symptoms from getting worse.

Even Veterans who did not realize they had PTS for many years have benefited from treatment that allows them to deal with their symptoms in new ways. Your mental well-being is just as important as your physical well-being. Continuous maintenance of your vehicle keeps it running smoothly. The same should be said for your mental and physical well-being. Society needs to care, and part of that is getting the awareness piece. If Veterans don’t self-identify, or if the community and loved ones cannot identify the signs or symptoms of the PTS and/or TBI that the Veteran is displaying, then triage cannot be provided. Become aware and show that you care

It is estimated that 22 Veterans commit suicide daily (USDVA, 2014)

To read more from B.R.A.I.N.’s Veterans Affairs Advisor, SGTMAJ James J. Schickel, USMC, Ret. click here.

Veteran Resources:

▪ Long Beach Veterans Hospital
▪ Coastline Veterans Resource Center
▪ Orange Coast Veterans’ Resource Center
▪ Orange County Veterans Service Office
▪ Working Wardrobes Vet Net
▪ Veterans First
▪ Saratoga WarHorse Foundation

An estimated 300,000 sports-related traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) of mild to moderate severity, most of which can be classified as concussions, occur in the United States each year. Repeated mild brain injuries occurring over an extended period can result in cumulative neurologic and cognitive deficits, but repeated mild brain injuries occurring within a short period can be catastrophic or fatal.

B.R.A.I.N. is here to provide athletes who have suffered sports-related brain injuries and their families the best resources, therapy, and support.

Become aware and show that you care. Please contact us for more information at 714-828-1760.

TBI Awareness is so important in the athletic community and it’s often overlooked. In recent years, researchers from around the world have dramatically increased our understanding of what causes concussions and how to treat them. Here at B.R.A.I.N. we believe that it’s never too late to get professional treatment or support for those who suffer from concussions and TBIs.

Receiving counseling or treatment as soon as possible can keep your symptoms from getting worse. Athletes who did not realize they had brain injury from concussions sustained many years prior have benefited from treatment that allows them to deal with their symptoms in new ways.

Your mental well-being is just as important as your physical well-being. Continuous maintenance of your car keeps it running smoothly. The same should be said for your mental and physical well-being. Society needs to care, and part of that is spreading awareness to symptoms and treatment. If athletes don’t self-identify, or if the community and loved ones can’t identify the signs or symptoms of concussions and/or TBI that the athlete is displaying, then triage cannot be provided.

B.R.A.I.N. CARES ABOUT SAFETY IN SPORTS