(Click on presenters’ photographs to find out more about them)
9:30
INTRODUCTION AND HOUSEKEEPING – Nick Rushworth (person with a brain injury), Executive Officer Brain Injury Australia, Conference Chair
Nick Rushworth
9:35
OFFICIAL OPENING:Katrine Hildyard – South Australian Minister for Child Protection, Minister for Women and the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing
Katrine Hildyard
9:45
INTERNATIONAL KEYNOTE ADDRESS – Associate Professor Eve Valera, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital; “Concussion-Plus in Women – Understanding the Intersection of Intimate Partner Violence and Brain Injury”
Eve Valera
10:45
CONCURRENT SESSIONS 5
National Launch of Tools for Ageing Well with Traumatic Brain Injury– Dr. Christina Ekegren and Associate Professor Libby Callaway, Monash University Victoria, Professor Ian Cameron, University of Sydney and Professor Grahame Simpson, Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research New South Wales
People living with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) have complex health needs, not only immediately following injury but throughout their lives. And these needs often become more complex in older age. Co-designed by stakeholder organisations in Victoria and New South Wales, older adults with lived experience of TBI and their family members as well as multidisciplinary clinicians who care for older adults with a TBI, “Tools for Ageing Well with Traumatic Brain Injury” is the first Australian resource of its kind, and will assist older adults to age well with their TBI.
Christina Ekegren Libby Callaway Ian Cameron Grahame Simpson
Domestic and Family Violence
Brain Injury Australia’s 2018 report into Australia’s first research into Domestic and Family Violence and Acquired Brain Injury found 2 in every 5 of the 16,000 victims of family violence attending Victorian hospitals over a decade had sustained a brain injury.
“It’s been like a spiritual awakening for me’: the impacts of Traumatic Brain Injury education workshops with women in prison” – Dr. Michelle Fitts, Western Sydney University New South Wales, Adjunct Associate Professor Jennifer Cullen, James Cook University Queensland, Glenda Duffy and Rachel Montgomery, Red Cross Queensland
Michelle Fitts Jennifer Cullen Glenda Duffy Rachel Montgomery
The Disciplines – Orthoptics
Canada’s Evidence-based Review of moderate to severe Acquired Brain Injury (ERABI) found a “multidisciplinary inpatient rehabilitation seems to be more effective than a single discipline approach”. The Conference draws attention to underacknowledged disciplines. For example, the majority of people who sustain a brain injury experience visual and ocular complications such as blurred vision, double vision, decreased peripheral vision, sensitivity to light and abnormalities in eye movement. Orthoptics is a discipline in eye healthcare specialising in the assessment, diagnosis and non-surgical management of eye disorders.
“Blurred lanes, black lines and moving trees. I thought I was dying” – Sue-Ellen Drew (person with a brain injury), South Australia
Sue-Ellen Drew
“Eye therapy in the setting of brain injury; simple and complex applications” – Tania Straga, Adelaide Eye Therapy, South Australia
Tania Straga
“Neuro-orthoptic rehabilitation in Acquired Brain Injury care” – Natalia Kelly, Vision Matters Victoria
Natalie Kelly
11:30
MORNING TEA
NOON
CONCURRENT SESSIONS 6
Domestic and Family Violence
A 2008 survey of 43,000 hospitalisations in four jurisdictions, including South Australia, found “Indigenous females experienced 69 times the rate of head injury due to assault experienced by non-Indigenous females.
“An acute care-to-community pathway for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women with Traumatic Brain Injury from family violence: staff perspectives from a regional hospital” – Dr. Michelle Fitts and Yasmin Johnson, Western Sydney University New South Wales
Michelle Fitts Yasmin Johnson
“Brain injury and family violence: establishing a tool to support clinical practice” – Kathryn Upton, Macquarie University New South Wales.
Kathryn Upton Vincent Oxenham
“Reframing the narrative; lessons of implementing a Traumatic Brain Injury project with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and services in regional and remote Australia” – Dr. Michelle Fitts, Western Sydney University New South Wales
Michelle Fitts
Concussion
Concussions – a “mild” Traumatic Brain Injury – have become an urgent public health concern; particularly for the injured who do not make a complete recovery within expected timeframes, and for the potential cumulative impacts of multiple concussions. Each year in Australia around 180,000 “mild” Traumatic Brain Injures occur. For as many as 1 in every 5 of those injured, they will experience ongoing physical, cognitive and behavioural changes lasting months. Concussion can be difficult to diagnose. The management of symptoms that persist remains challenging.
“Cervical musculoskeletal dysfunction in relation to physiological and vestibulo-ocular dysfunction in patients with symptoms four weeks to six months following concussion” – Dr. Julia Treleaven, University of Queensland
Julia Treleaven
“Heads up on concussion: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ knowledge and understanding of mild Traumatic Brain Injury” – Dr. Gill Cowen, Western Australian Concussion Network
Gill Cowen
“Women, head injuries and football” – Associate Professor Kerry Peek, University of Sydney New South Wales
Kerry Peek
“Exploring the Return to Physical Activity and Exercise Following a “mild” Traumatic Brain Injury: a systematic review of Randomized Controlled Trials” – Sally Vuu, Flinders University South Australia
Sally Vuu
Domestic And Family Violence
Brain Injury Australia’s 2018 report into Australia’s first research into Domestic and Family Violence and Acquired Brain Injury found 2 in every 5 of the 16,000 victims of family violence attending Victorian hospitals over a decade had sustained a brain injury.
“A translational approach to understanding the pathophysiology, biomarkers, and functional consequences of intimate partner violence-related brain injury” – Professor Sandy Shultz, Dr. Georgia Symons and Dr. Stuart McDonald, Monash University Victorian and Professor Michael O’Sullivan, The University of Queensland
Sandy Shultz Georgia Symons Stuart McDonald Michael O’Sullivan
1:00
LUNCH
2:00
PLENARY – CONCUSSION/ “MILD” TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY, facilitated by Professor Mark Bayley, Coriat Family Chair in Rehabilitation Innovations at The University of Toronto, Canada
Concussions – a “mild” Traumatic Brain Injury – have become an urgent public health concern; particularly for the injured who do not make a complete recovery within expected timeframes, and for the potential cumulative impacts of multiple concussions. Each year in Australia around 180,000 “mild” Traumatic Brain Injures occur. For as many as 1 in every 5 of those injured, they will experience ongoing physical, cognitive and behavioural changes lasting months. Concussion can be difficult to diagnose. The management of symptoms that persist remains challenging.
Mark Bayley
“Four years on; concussion’s long and winding road” – Mia Formichella, South Australia
Mia Formichella
“From Post-Concussion Syndrome to PhD; my journey” – Emily Moore, South Australia
Emily Moore
3:00
CONCURRENT SESSIONS 7
Concussion
Concussions – a “mild” Traumatic Brain Injury – have become an urgent public health concern; particularly for the injured who do not make a complete recovery within expected timeframes, and for the potential cumulative impacts of multiple concussions. Each year in Australia around 180,000 “mild” Traumatic Brain Injures occur. For as many as 1 in every 5 of those injured, they will experience ongoing physical, cognitive and behavioural changes lasting months. Concussion can be difficult to diagnose. The management of symptoms that persist remains challenging.
“There is nothing ‘mild’ about mild Traumatic Brain Injury” – Dr. Les Koopowitz, University of Adelaide South Australia
Les Koopowitz
“Interdisciplinary rehabilitation of a person with persistent post-concussive symptoms; a reflective case study” – Tristan Clements, One Rehabilitation Service South Australia
Tristan Clements
“A seven-week interdisciplinary group intervention program for clients with persistent post-concussive symptoms” – Dr. Sarah Price, Barwon Health Victoria
Sarah Price
Multiple “mild” Traumatic Brain Injuries; how do they add up?
“What brains tell; the Australian Sports Brain Bank” – Associate Professor Michael Buckland, University of Sydney New South Wales
Michael Buckland
“Lasting impact: exploring the link between Traumatic Brain Injury and neurodegenerative disease risk”- Associate Professor Lyndsey Collins-Praino, University of Adelaide South Australia
Lyndsey Collins-Praino
The First Person – Employment
Around 2 in every 5 people who have sustained a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) find employment, 1 in 2 after a stroke. The last independent study of open employment services found that people with a brain injury had the second lowest representation in the workforce of all people with a disabilty and the third highest direct support needs (after people with autism and intellectual disability). And, while the total number of participants in Disability Employment Services has risen 7 per cent over the last 5 years, those with a brain injury have fallen 10 per cent. The Conference will share first person success stories while examining the key obstacles to, and some local innovations for finding, satisfying and sustainable employment for people with a brain injury.
“Yes, we can! Meaningful employment following Traumatic Brain Injury: the importance of collaboration between employer, line manager, healthcare providers, family members, and employee” – Dr. Alexander Smith (person with a brain injury), New South Wales
Alexander Smith
“Turning the sky around: shoring up the survivor’s return to employment in our ‘back to the future’ National Disability Insurance Scheme world” – Eva Sifis (person with a brain injury), Victoria
Eva Sifis
“Still learning how to realise the benefits of employment for people with brain injury: learnings from the perspective of a person with lived experience of brain injury and their employer” – Penny White, Lifetime Support Authority South Australia
Penny White
3:45
AFTERNOON TEA
4:15
CONCURRENT SESSIONS 8
Housing
You might need less support if you live in the right type of home’; evolving effective housing solutions to support people living with brain injury in the community – panel discussion facilitated by Liz Forsyth, Brain Injury SA South Australia
Liz Forsyth Kylie Smith
Employment
Around 2 in every 5 people who have sustained a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) find employment, 1 in 2 after a stroke. The last independent study of open employment services found that people with a brain injury had the second lowest representation in the workforce of all people with a disabilty and the third highest direct support needs (after people with autism and intellectual disability). And, while the total number of participants in Disability Employment Services has risen 7 per cent over the last 5 years, those with a brain injury have fallen 10 per cent. The Conference will share first person success stories while examining the key obstacles to, and some local innovations for finding, satisfying and sustainable employment for people with a brain injury.
“Traumatic Brain Injury and Aphasia – A Lived Experience Based Therapeutic Approach to Rehabilitation and Recovery Integrating Cognitive Neuroscience” – Garry Whittaker (person with a brain injury), New South Wales
Garry Whittaker
“Unique strategies that case co-ordinators implement to assist clients with an Acquired Brain Injury to return to work with their pre-injury employer” – Miffy Durham, State Head Injury Unit Western Australia
Miffy Durham
“Efficacy of early vocational intervention following traumatic injury: a Randomised Controlled Trial” – Professor Jennie Ponsford, Monash University Victoria