“Every person is different, every brain injury is different,” says Sylvia Volk, a brain injury support worker based at Mary Cridge Manor, a supported living environment of individual apartments. She provides personalized practical support to four or five clients a shift, helping each survivor focus and improve upon life skills to manage everyday life more easily as they transition to independent living.
One of Sylvia’s clients recently moved in, and she is thrilled about how well he is settling. Brain injuries can disrupt family structures and complicate friendships, and Sylvia often worries about her clients’ risk of social isolation and loneliness. She wishes she had more time to be a companion, so she looks for ways to help survivors reconnect with their interests and sense of identity that may have been interrupted by their injury.
She is delighted when she sees the new resident has accepted her invitation to attend the weekly BlueSheet Club meeting. Members of the peer support group are discussing a creative project exploring their personal stories, and the new resident shares his past as a baseball player. He smiles when Syliva tells him how well he is doing at ‘getting back up to bat.’
After, Sylvia helps carry fresh vegetables from The Mustard Seed to his unit. Together they discuss practical ways to make daily life easier, like adding a dresser for storage and combining grocery shopping with occasional deliveries. A stack of mail prompts plans for a trip to the bank to pay bills and stay on top of finances.
Back in the office, another survivor is waiting. He has aphasia and sometimes struggles to communicate, but Sylvia patiently works to understand him. They check the mail and find a reminder to complete the census. When frustration leads to torn mail, Sylvia calmly finds tape to repair it and gently redirects their attention to completing the census together. Later, Sylvia checks in with a client recovering from a recent seizure, making sure she has the support and resources she needs.
Sylvia prepares for the bank visit. Before leaving, she perks up at an email about donated baseball tickets. She knows just the client who would love a trip to a ball game. “Every survivor has a unique story, and it’s such a privilege to be part of their journey,” Sylvia says. “It’s a really rewarding job.”
