Our 2009 conference theme is:
“Successful STEPS (STrategies for Education, Prevention and Support) – Celebrating Survival”

Location: Pierrefonds, Quebec
Dates: July 10,11,12, 2009
FINAL Conference Brochure (pdf-1.5mb)
Directions
Travelling in Canada with Disabilities

Call for abstracts
Brochure (pdf)
Program (pdf)
Speaker Bios

Registration
Please download and complete the Conference Registration Form (pdf)

Payment
There are two payment methods:
1. Payment by Mail
2. Payment by PayPal

It is important to remember that the Villa is a conference facility with advantages and limitations. There is limited air conditioning, no elevators to the 2nd floor, no alarm clocks in rooms, no televisions, and no computer hook-up. For further conference information check the website periodically.

If financial assistance is required please contact your local and provincial ABI association and sponsors before contacting BIAC

Prior to the conference you will be contacted for your arrival and departure times so we may adequately plan for meals.

David Burke dburke@whistlerquestion.com
From the Whistler Question

Whistler – Whistler Blackcomb (WB) employees who teach skiing and snowboarding to those under 17 years of age will have to wear safety helmets this coming season — a move one official says will help promote safety among youngsters, but which one helmet-use advocate says doesn’t go far enough.

Rob McSkimming, WB vice president of business development, on Monday (July 20) confirmed the decision, saying WB officials have been weighing the idea for a few years and finally decided make the move during their 2008-’09 season wrap-up meetings a few weeks ago.

McSkimming estimated that around 80 per cent of WB’s approximately 500 youth ski- and snowboard-school instructors wore helmets while on the job last season.
Read the rest of this entry »

Please let me introduce myself. My name is Craig J. Phillips. I am a traumatic brain injury survivor, a master’s level rehabilitation counselor, a peer mentor, an advocate, a motivational and inspirational speaker and an internationally published author. On February 6, 2007 at the encouragement of a professional friend I created *Second Chance to Live* to share my experience, strength and hope.

I experienced an open skull fracture with right frontal lobe damage and a severe brain contusion when I was 10 years old. I remained in a coma for 3 weeks.

For insight into my professional experience please read my Professionals Page. You may also gain further insight into my journey by reading my About Page. Although I was not expected to live the night of the car accident in 1967, or succeed beyond high school academically I went onto obtain both my undergraduate and graduate degrees.

During the past 27 months articles from Second Chance to Live have been published through out the United States, in Canada, the United Kingdom, Europe and Australia. You may read what several individuals have said about Second Chance to Live on my Testimonial / Endorsement Page. My message is to encourage, motivate, empower and give hope.

Articles from Second Chance to Live that have been published through out the United States and world wide can be viewed at my Publications Page. I have been interviewed by several individuals as well as by ABC Radio KGO AM 810. You may listen to those interviews by visiting my Interview Page.

I am available to be of service to you, your mission and vision. Please let me know how I may be of service to you and to the individuals that you serve. For more information, and ideas please visit my Speaker Page and my Media Page.

To date I have written 452 articles for Second Chance to Live and they are listed with in my Site Map.

Have a simply phenomenal day and thank you for your time.

Craig J. Phillips MRC, BA
Second Chance to Live
Second Chance to Live

*Our circumstances are not meant to keep us down, but they are meant to build us up!*

We are pleased to update you on the International Brain Injury Association’s (IBIA’s) Eighth World Congress on Brain Injury, which will be held in Washington, DC, from March 10-14, 2010. As one of the official endorsing organizations of this event, we have provided below information on the World Congress and ask that you please share this information with your members via your website, print publications and/or e-blast communications. Please note the additional discount we have provided for endorsing organization members.

NAME, DATE AND PLACE
International Brain Injury Association’s Eighth World Congress on Brain Injury
March 10-14, 2010
Washington, DC, USA
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It is our pleasure to inform you that on July 6, the Government of Canada launched a National Campaign to raise awareness and promote take-up of the RDSP, Grant and Bond. The campaign will run to the end of July and will include radio and print information. The campaign will direct Canadians to disabilitysavings.gc.ca and 1 800 O-Canada for more information.

We invite you to visit disabilitysavings.gc.ca to read or listen to the advertisements. Click RDSP Advertising Campaign under Updates.

Best regards, RDSP Grant and Bond Outreach Team, Office for Disability Issues

FINAL Conference Brochure (pdf-1.5mb)

From: LTC Global Canada
Canadians Living Longer
The good news is that Canadians are living longer thanks to healthier lifestyles and dramatic improvements in the detection and treatment of disease.

However, the longer people live, the more likely they will need help with caring for themselves at some stage due to an accident, chronic illness, the aging process and/or a cognitive impairment.

As a result of our aging population and increased longevity, the demand for long term care has risen significantly over the last decade and will continue to grow as the boomers enter into their retirement years.

In the past, Canadian families were relatively larger and thus there were a number of family members to share the responsibility of looking after aging parents. Today, the family structure in Canada has changed. Canadians are having fewer children. More women are working and are having children later in life. Increased labour mobility means that family members are more geographically dispersed and therefore less likely to be located near their parents when care is required. The end result of these changes is a major reduction in the traditional sources of care giving.

Due to spiraling health care costs as a result of an aging population, publicly funded long term care services have been frozen or even reduced in recent years. Many Canadians who assist a family member in need of long term care are shocked to discover that Provincial Health Insurance Plans and private supplementary health insurance essentially does not cover long term care and that the cost of care is very expensive, whether that care is provided at home or in a facility. Unfortunately, most people learn about long term care the hard way – when they or a family member needs extended care. Long term care expenses can quickly deplete savings that took a lifetime to accumulate.

Long term care insurance programs have been established to allow individuals to reduce the risk of financial hardship, avoid burdening loved ones, protecting assets from the high costs of long term care; and to provide peace of mind.

The Brain Injury Association of Canada is seeking three qualified individuals to serve a one-year term on its Board of Directors. One of the positions to be filled requires experience as a Treasurer. Read more about us and our Board openings. People interested in acquired brain injury (ABI) prevention and for improving the lives of ABI survivors and their family are invited to complete the Volunteer Application Form and return it with a resume to BIAC-ACLC, 28 Caron Street, Gatineau, PQ J8Y 1Y7, or by e-mail to : info@biac-aclc.ca