Top Tips

Looking after a brain injured relative can be both emotionally and physically exhausting and it is important that you, as a close family member, try to consider the following:

• Look after yourself physically (e.g. diet, exercise, relaxation) and recognise your own needs.

• Make time for yourself in the day.

• Do not isolate yourself - plan social activities.

• Be aware of resources available to you (Appendix A).

• Understand that emotions such as anger, frustration, guilt and grief are all natural 'coping'
  strategies for close relatives.

• Share experiences with other families who have been/are in the same boat as you.

• Seek help from a member of the rehabilitation team to learn coping skills to deal with the anger, inflexibility and loss of drive that you might be witnessing in your loved one. The Clinical Psychologist is usually the best person to consult.

• Do not be afraid to seek counselling to help YOU cope with emotions.
  The burden of care can be great.

Condition Tips

The following are some common conditions that may arise from acquired brain injury (ABI):

DYSARTHRIA

" Mrs A woke up from her head injury to discover that her speech was slurred. Her face was a little lop-sided and although word-finding wasn't a problem for her, her words were indistinct."

DYSPHASIA

"Mr B's pronunciation was clear but he had difficulty in finding the correct words and putting them in the right order. He could not write the words even though he could hold a pen. Reading and following conversation were also
problematic."

DYSPHAGIA

"Chris awoke from his head injury to discover that eating and particularly drinking were difficult. Dysphagia is the term used to describe swallowing difficulties. The SLT assessed why the muscles in his mouth and throat were causing him problems. She suggested changing both what he ate and how he ate for a while. She let everyone caring for Chris know the easiest and safest way for him to eat and drink.

COGNITIVE COMMUNICATION PROBLEMS

"Donna had a head injury 6 months ago. At first she didn't think she had a problem with communication at all. When she returned home, she realised that conversations kept going astray. Cognitive communication problems include such things as being impulsive, poor communication, misreading other people and changes in sense of humour. Together, Donna and her SLT identified how changes in body language and going off the point were obstructing natural conversation. They worked on watching other people for clues that revealed when they hadn't understood or had felt uncomfortable. They also worked on Donna being able to project the message she had intended, sometimes meeting with people close to her to discuss how improvements in communication between them all could be reached."

Return To Work Tips

The following tips will help a person return to work successfully:

• The nature and severity of residual difficulties, particularly the degree of self- awareness and how well the person has adjusted to their disability.

• The nature of the pre-injury occupation.

• The timing and management of the return to work.

• The employer and co-worker support.

Rehab UK Registered Office: Birmingham Brain Injury Centre, 58-72 John Bright Street, Birmingham, B1 1BN Company Registration No. 3005672, Registered Charity No. 1043839