Ali Comes Back from a Brain Injury to Enjoy a Career in Care

Ali McIntosh is a professional carer and has been a carer with us since July 2020. She works with vulnerable people of all ages in their own homes. Her tasks include providing personal care, moving and assisting, and helping with meals and medication. Ali also supports a young lady on social visits in the community.

In February 2005 Ali fell down a flight of stairs and sustained a massive bleed on the brain. She was taken to Hope hospital in Manchester and placed in an induced coma for two months.

Ali had an operation to remove a significant amount of her frontal lobe, which is the part of the brain that is responsible for cognitive functions such as memory, emotion, impulse control and social interaction and motor function. During extensive brain surgery, Ali had a frontal lobectomy and craniotomy. She also had a metal plate inserted in her head.

After the operation, Ali spent three months in hospital rehabilitating and relearning skills. Just six months after the fall Ali resumed her role with the NHS, where she had previously worked for 18 years as a retinopathy screener.

Unfortunately, she was suffering from epilepsy due to her brain injury, and Ali was no longer confident with her role at the NHS. She worried that, working as a retinopathy screener, she might miss important signs and so it was agreed she would leave.

After five years of being seizure-free, Ali’s driving licence was returned to her and with that came increased freedom. It was after this that Ali came to the Rochdale branch to discuss having a go at working a few hours each week.

That was two years ago, and since then Ali has increased her hours. She always does a fantastic job and the whole branch team has daily contact with Ali. If she has any concerns or thoughts Ali always calls the branch to talk them through.

This has by no means been a smooth road for Ali, but she gives 100% in everything she does. She understands that sometimes she may say something inappropriate but she is never rude or insulting. Ali has a heart of gold and has come on so much in the past two years.

Having a brain injury does not stop Ali from doing what she loves.