Have you or the person you care for ever been on an assisted holiday after brain injury?

[headwayuk]

We know how important holidays can be as a chance to relax and refresh away from the everyday routine, so we'd like to put together a feature on the supported holidays that are available for people who are affected by brain injury.

Whether it's an activity centre in the UK or a supported holiday overseas, please tell us about your experience, the providers you used and how the extra support helped you.

Thanks for your help,

Andrew

[Marnie22]

Hi. I haven't actually been on such a holiday, but I should like to ask you to consider one aspect in your feature.

I have done quite a bit of research on planning a short break or holiday in the UK but keep coming up against one problem. I have an acquired brain injury that has left me with severe physical and cognitive fatigue. I manage my mobility problems by having frequent rests, not doing too much at one time etc. I have resisted using mobility aids as I am trying to stay as active as I can. I cannot walk very far or stand for too long. I also suffer with sensory overload and cannot manage noisy or busy environments. If I get really tired it lasts into the next day.

When trying to plan any kind of holiday, I only seem to find companies that assume that the term 'disabled" means wheelchair user or someone with a physical disability, often with a carer. The sort of information I would need, (distances to walk, opportunities for rest, quality of environment, available help if needed, breaks between excursions, help with luggage,) doesn't seem to be available.

I may have just not found this information, but I have looked at so many websites of organisations and holiday companies that seem to think that they have the disabled issue covered because they have step free access and a room with an accessible shower I gave up in the end.

Hope this doesn't come across as a load of moaning!

I think because I have cognitive processing issues I get to a certain point and can't keep going with the research.

Also, because I would be holidaying alone, I feel very vulnerable.

I hope this makes sense.

Thank you.

[headwayuk Partner Headway in reply to Marnie22]

Thank you Marnie22 for your reply.

I think that's a really interesting (and frustrating!) point - and really highlights the challenges that brain injury survivors face. You're right that all too often 'disabled' is assumed to mean physical disability, and takes little account of the often invisible challenges that many people face.

Would you be happy to use some of your comment in our feature, to highlight this issue? And to help us discuss things with some of the available holiday providers.

Best wishes,

Andrew

[Marnie22 in reply to headwayuk]

Hi Andrew. Thank you for your reply to my post. I am happy for you to use my comments in any way that you would find helpful.

[Fificakes2]

Hi, I’ve been on several holidays with the Calvert Trust for activity breaks and they were really good. It’s a multi activity holiday and the best one is in the Lake District. The instructor are understanding and let you take your time and everything is relaxed.

I’ve also done a special music week in the Calvert Trust Exmoor, which was really supportive and nice atmosphere. Yes and there rooms are adapted for physical disabilities too.

I really enjoyed my holidays because I didn’t have to just go with my mum and I was sort of independent.

[headwayuk Partner Headway in reply to Fificakes2]

Hi Fificakes2,

Many thanks for your reply. I've sent you a private message in the 'Chat' area, wondering if we can discuss things further for our feature. If you'd like to discuss things further do get back to us and we'll take it from there.

Best wishes,

Andrew

[Daylight123]

Holiday are very important for us and i have given it a lot of thought so they now work well for the whole family.

1) New places are to overwhelming for my partner. So we go to places where he has been before and places where he has old friend or memories. This is fab for me because he can be in charge. So Scotland was a first for me but a previous home for my partner. We are going back to stay with pre brain injury friends of his.

2) City break do not work I do these on my own. It was hell.

3) Visiting family is combined with Days out and routine are kept when we visit family. So they feel like a holiday not just a visit. So on one we all went to the zoo.

4) Family visiting us but incorporating things that my partner likes and having them give me respite like a spa day.

5) we now go abroad and stay in the same village where my partners who speaks french (brain injury as not affect language learning skills only new memories ) looks after me and the local now know him as a regular visitor. This is the holiday we have with the kids each year in the same cottages.

6) If I want to see more of the world lay on with repeatedly be asked where am I go with a short break girlfriend not my partner.

7) we tried a small camping weekend with friends in the quite disabled section works if we take regular snooze breaks in the tent and no rushing around. We also got free carers ticket but process of booking and Brain injury was challenging because the disability was not visible and we did have my carer ticket issue until the day before going which was very anxiety raising.

My partner takes photo of are holiday accomodation the area and we uses this as memory joggers and as a personalised map with us in the frame. We then look at these all year round.

[Pop1234]

hi,

i have had a brain tumour, the second op was may 2nd 2019 and i went to turkey November 2019 for a week, i had a lot of fun, did a lot of walking, insurance was a lot more expensive,