About Benji and his goals

Benji is 52 years old. He lives with his cat and 2 other people in a 3 bedroom specialist disability accommodation.

Specialist disability accommodation is accessible housing for people with disabilities.

Benji enjoys:

• going out in his community for a coffee
• going to social events and groups (Men’s Shed) and talking to other people
• watching movies and football
• playing chess.

At the age of 32, Benji had a car accident which led to an acquired brain injury. Benji now has difficulty with:

• remembering to do things
• planning things for himself
• getting started and completing activities in his day-to-day life.

Benji had a short-term goal he wanted to work towards over the next 12 months.

This goal was to be more independent – so he could do things for himself.

Benji told his occupational therapist that he wanted to remember to have a shower every morning.

He no longer wanted his support workers to remind him to do this activity.

He also had a long-term goal - something he wanted to work towards in the future.

This goal was to find and keep a job.

Benji thought his short-term goal would help with his long-term goal.

Benji’s current supports

Benji has support from:

• support workers - who help Benji with day-to-day activities
• an occupational therapist - who helps Benji find ways to do everyday tasks
• a psychologist - who helps Benji with the way he thinks and feels about things.

Benji also has a mobile phone which he uses to do call people, such as his:

• support workers
• occupational therapist
• psychologist.

Benji’s future supports needs

Benji talked to his occupational therapist about his goals.

Benji and his occupational therapist talked about:

• what supports he needed
• what funding he had to pay for supports.

Funding is money from the government that Benji uses to pay for supports.

His occupational therapist looked at the types of assistive technology that:

• met Benji’s needs
• are right for them.

They looked at 2 types of assistive technology that can help people after brain injury to:

• remember to do daily tasks
• be independent.

This included:

• Smart sensors - which could talk to Benji and remind him to have a shower at set times of the day and week
• Smart watch - which could remind Benji to do things, such as showering.

This type of assistive technology needs an internet connection, which Benji does not have.

Benji does not have funding to pay for internet in his home.

His occupational therapist thought about other supports, and talked to Benji about the use of a whiteboard.

His occupational therapist explained how the whiteboard could:

• be put on the wall in his bedroom
• provide a visual prompt for him to have a shower every morning.