ABI Peer Support Coordinator
Shepherd Center
Atlanta, Georgia
Claire Holley, BSN, RN is the Coordinator for the Brain Injury Peer Support Program at Shepherd Center. She is the parent of a college-age child who sustained a brain injury in 2016 and has first-hand knowledge of the daily challenges that are faced by caregivers as they attempt to help a loved one return to the most optimal state possible after brain injury. Brain injury survivors and caregivers often feel isolated and overwhelmed because they must learn a new way to adapt and cope as they attempt to adjust to their new way of living. Through the process, she realized how helpful it would have been to have assistance and support in this endeavor from others who had done the same thing.
In her current role, she facilitates weekly family peer support classes in both the acute and post-acute settings and meets with patients and families who have expressed frustration and are looking for guidance in returning to life for themselves and their affected family member after brain injury. Learning effective coping skills, receiving support from peers, and participating in group support programs are vital in ensuring success as caregivers support a loved one in the process of adapting to the “new normal' after brain injury. As a nurse, with over 10 years of patient care experience, she is acutely aware of the importance of evidence-based practice and is honored to be a part of a team providing care with such personal meaning.
Wednesday, October 21, 2020
2:15 PM – 3:30 PM EST