[Infographic] How to Support Someone Impacted by Trauma

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[BLOG POST] Intentional Living After TBI – Brain Injury Blog

Intentional Living After TBI

Finding your way after a stroke, ABI, MBI, TBI, Concussion, and related conditions is uncharted territory in every sense of the word. Intentional living not only defines the attitude that will help you work toward improvement, it also defines how you will continue to live going forward.

For every case that takes a definitive route, and a measurable outcome, others can spend a lifetime making even a portion of headway that others may achieve.

When anyone claims to know the way, it’s only because that’s the way that works for them. There’s no other way to say it. Rehabilitation after a TBI (no matter what variety) is always on a case-by-case basis, with progress being made according to many variables and factors.

Cognitive rehabilitation should be left to professional clinicians, and follow-up cognitive growth can be an independent venture – and best if applied in line with your doctor’s overall plan. I’ll be excerpting some information from the book “Brain Injury – It is a Journey” that is an excellent resource for families of TBI survivors that are helping someone they love to begin their journey.

*In the book, there are tons of resources, but one of the most poignant points are in these simple checklists:

Changes After Brain Injury

Changes in a person after a brain injury depend on which areas of the brain are affected and the severity of the injury. Use these lists to check mark affected areas.

These will change over time as the person progresses. Possible consequences of a brain injury includes:

Physical consequences

– Headaches

– Seizures

– Muscle spasticity

– Weakness or paralysis

– Balance and coordination difficulties

– Changes in vision or hearing

– Loss of smell or taste

– Difficulty swallowing

– Changes in appetite

– Increased sensitivity to smells, light or sound

– Changes in sensitivity to touch

– Fatigue, increased need for sleep

– Changes in sleep patterns

 

Cognitive (thinking and learning) consequences

– Amnesia

– Short-term memory loss

– Long-term memory loss

– Slowed ability to process information

– Difficulty organizing and planning ahead

– Poor judgment

– Inability to do more than one thing at a time

– Lack of initiating or starting activities

– Easily distracted

– Disoriented or confused to surroundings

– Shorter attention span

– Repeatedly says or thinks same thing

 

Communication consequences

– Slurred or unclear speech

– Difficulty finding the right word

– Difficulty staying on topic

– Trouble listening

– Dominating conversations

– Difficulty reading

– Rate of speech too fast or too slow

– Things taken too literally

– Difficulty understanding what is said

 

Emotional/Behavioral consequences

– Increased anxiety

– Depression

– Self centered behavior or thinking

– Easily irritated, angered or frustrated

– Overreacts, cries or laughs too easily

– Different sexual behavior

– Impulsive, acts or talks without thinking

– Mood swings

– Stubbornness

– Dependent or clinging behavior*

[…]

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[WEB SITE] Stroke Recovery

Learning to live a normal life after stroke is possible. Learn to take an active approach, adapting new limitations, and finding support for a life after stroke.

Source: Stroke Recovery

[ARTICLE] The relationship between caregiver impacts and the unmet needs of survivors of stroke – Full Text HTML

Abstract

Background

Caregivers play a crucial role in meeting the needs of survivors of stroke. Yet, little is known about how they are impacted by their caregiving role.

Objectives

To describe the relationship between survivor long-term unmet needs (>12 months) and caregiver impacts, and identify characteristics that are associated with reported moderate to severe impacts on caregivers.

Method

This was a cross-sectional survey using data from the Australian Stroke Survivor and Carer Needs Survey. Community dwelling adults 12+ months poststroke and their caregivers participated. Caregivers and survivors were asked about the extent to which the domains of work, leisure and family, and friend and spousal relationships had been impacted using a Likert scale of responses. The extent to which survivor needs were being met was measured over the domains of health, everyday living, work, leisure, and finances, and the total number of unmet needs was calculated. The association between survivor unmet needs and caregiver impacts was assessed using multivariable logistic regression adjusted for caregiver and survivor characteristics.

Results

Of the 738 completed survivor surveys, 369 contained matched caregiver data (survivors: median age, 71 years; 67% male) (caregivers: median age, 64 years; 26% male). For caregivers, the domains of work, leisure, and friendships were most impacted. The odds of a caregiver experiencing moderate to extreme impacts increased with the number of reported survivor unmet needs. This was greatest for spousal (aOR [adjusted odds ratio]: 1.14; 95% CI [confidence interval]: 1.07, 1.21; P<0.001) and friend relationships (aOR: 1.14; 95% CI: 1.07, 1.21; P<0.001). Caring for a survivor who needed daily living assistance was associated with moderate to extreme caregiver impacts across all domains.

Conclusion

Caregivers of survivors of stroke experience large negative impacts, the extent to which is associated with survivors unmet needs. Targeted, long-term solutions are needed to support survivors and caregivers living in the community.

Continue —>  The relationship between caregiver impacts and the unmet needs of survivors of stroke.