Participation in the Community after ABI

Getting out into the local community is a normal part of everyday life, whether it is for the purpose of attending to household management tasks (eg shopping), doing activities that you enjoy, socialise with friends and family or going to work. So what if something suddenly happens that changes a persons ability to get out and about into the local community to do the tasks that they need to do and socialise with other people?

Following an Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) many people find themselves in a situation where they are no longer able to get out and about into their local community and interact with other people as before. Changes in physical, cognitive (thinking),  communication and behavioural can impact on a person's interactions with other people in the community, with their general safety in the community and with general travel into and around the community.

  A large group of people crossing a busy street

It is very common for a person with an ABI to have a period of time where they are not medically cleared to drive and may need to instead use other forms of transport. Timeframes around medical clearance to drive will be different for every person with an ABI because every ABI is different. Some people with an ABI are never able to return to driving. This can be as a result of the severity of the changes in abilities or the development of other medical conditions (eg epilepsy) following their ABI.

If you have had an ABI please see your GP, Neurologist or Rehabilitation Specialist for medical clearance for a referral to an Occupational Therapist who can review your ability to drive before you return to driving.

The following resources may assist you to:

  • Increase your skills and ideas for getting back out into your local community and returning to social, recreational and work activities
  • Provide information for your family, friends and service that you may be working with
  • Know where you can go for further information, services, support or advice

ABIOS Resources:

Finding appropriate Housing
Returning to Study
Returning to Work after ABI


Other helpful sections of the ABIOS Website:

Behaviour Change after ABI
Cognitive or Thinking Skill Changes after ABI
Communication Changes after ABI
Dysphagia or Swallowing Changes after ABI
Mental Health and ABI


Other helpful Websites:

Synapse has helpful factsheets on Accommodation Options ; Return to Study ; Return to Work

Last updated: 12 July 2022