Annemarie De Jong Email & Phone Number

In April 2014 my dream came true; my husband and I immigrated from The Netherlands to British Columbia, Canada. With my background as social worker we were able to apply for the skilled worker program and we made the big step after we received our permanent resident cards. Within a few months I started working for the forensic psychiatric services commission in Penticton and area in the role as support worker. The clients I worked with were found 'not criminally responsible due to a mental disorder' and the support was aimed to help them integrate safely and gradually back into the community. In May 2015 I took on the position of support worker at the Brain Injury Society but due to some staff changes I became one of the Acquired Brain Injury Case Managers. A brain injury can happen to anyone, anywhere and anytime, a brain injury doesn't discriminate. That makes my work very diverse and no brain injury is the same. As a Case Manager I am responsible for the intake and goal planning; helping people to identify their needs and determining how they can be best met. Through education, one-on-one support, coordination of services and advocacy I support people to achieve their goals. In January I took on the role of Stroke Navigator with the main focus of bridging the gap between hospital care and making the transition back home. After a stroke people can experience difficulties in different areas in their life such as speech, memory, physical changes, emotional changes (anxiety and depression), behavioural changes and cognitive changes (thinking, decision making etc). This has a huge impact in different areas of peoples' life; relationships, employment and leisure activities, the ability to maintain stable housing, financial changes and the overall loss of identity. As a stroke navigator I inform and connect people to existing services, I provide education about stroke and the importance of lifestyle changes and the coordination of medical care. But also identifying gaps in existing services, the lack of transportation or the complexity of navigating services; to be an advocate for those that cannot voice their own needs. I have learned a lot in the years that I have worked at Sosbis and I still learn everyday. When I was offered the position of team leader in August 2019 I did not have to think. My experience working in the Netherlands and in Canada has given me the opportunity to combine the best of two worlds and I am grateful to be able to share my passion and experience with my team.

Listed skills include Mental Health, Personal Development, Psychology, Treatment, and 11 others.