Throughout March, we’ve worked with the local Daily Independent to increase awareness about brain injuries. According to Barrow Neurological Institute, 1.5 million Americans sustain a traumatic brain injury each year. Brain injuries do not discriminate and can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere — an accident on a busy Arizona freeway, a fall at one of the countless construction sites across the valley, a child who slips into the family pool or a family member or friend who experiences an overdose or stroke.
In week one, we covered the types of injury and the difference between traumatic brain injury and acquired injuries, as well as some of the challenges that occur after. In week two, we emphasized prevention. With injuries being the leading cause of death for individuals aged 1 to 44, avoiding risk factors could save or change the lives of millions. In week three, we shared valuable resources across the valley that support survivors and loved ones at the time of their injury as well as the weeks, months and years following. It really does take a village to ensure best outcomes and enhance quality of life.
Today, I’m pleased to talk about our “village,” Everlasting Community Services. Founded in 2006, independently owned and based in Phoenix, Everlasting is an assisted living facility specializing in brain injury.
After working with brain injury survivors starting in 1990 and enjoying helping patients and families while working as a nurse, this time last year, I found myself suddenly on the other side when my father-in-law suffered a stroke in April 2024.
I was fortunate that I knew the drill and was able to help guide my husband and sister-in-law as we navigated hospital-to-rehab and rehab-to-assisted living. During that time, we toured numerous assisted living locations. I was so pleased to see so many great facilities, filled with compassionate and dedicated caregivers.
There’s no shortage of compassionate care in Phoenix and surrounding areas. As a family member, my advice is “trust your gut, ask a lot of questions, advocate for your loved one.” As a nurse who now works at an assisted living facility, my advice remains exactly the same. I’m proud to work, not for, but rather with, Everlasting because of its dedication specifically to brain injury as opposed to a focus on senior living.
It impacts every component of what we do. With residents in their 20s to their 90s, physical and cognitive abilities are varied. A 25-year-old male who suffered a brain injury as a result of a motorcycle accident has different needs, interests and goals than a typical senior assisted-living resident. Care requires implementing comprehensive enrichment programs that focus on three key principles: Rehabilitation, compassion, integrity.
Certified caregivers provide physical assistance, behavioral supports or verbal cuing, depending on what is needed for the task or to safely complete activities of daily living.
Unlike a senior setting, most residents aren’t here to relax at retirement; they still have long lives ahead of them and their goals sometimes require vocational supports, psychological and behavioral interventions, medication review and management, therapeutic assistance and more.
On a typical day, residents may enjoy a visit from friendly pups Dash and Dotty for pet therapy followed by a trip to St. Mary’s Food Bank for a couple of hours of volunteering, while they integrate with others and build vocational skills, coming back to participate in art class or a nutritional wellness demonstration in the educational pavilion, utilizing vegetables and herbs from the culinary garden.
Karaoke and bingo are always popular, regardless of age, and outings to area museums, sporting events, picnics in the park, shopping trips and more keep residents busy before they return to enjoy a chef-prepared meal in the predominantly made-from-scratch kitchen and an evening movie in the theater room or a stroll in the courtyard.
An injury doesn’t signify the end … it signifies change. Sometimes it’s a drastic pivot that requires help along the way. There are caring individuals all across Arizona who’ve dedicated their lives to providing that help. From neurosurgeons and therapists to in-home caregivers and family members who tirelessly advocate for their loved ones.
As both a family member of someone with a brain injury and a nurse, I understand that there are ups and downs, but I’d like to remind everyone that you aren’t alone. Reach out to the resources we’ve identified throughout this series and obtain the support you need to live your best life.
Editor’s note: Alicia M. Brown, ASB, LPN is marketing director at Everlasting Community Services in Phoenix. Please send your comments to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.
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