The Survival Guide - Living with Acquired Brain Injury in the Community

124 Pages·2010·1.06 MB·English

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The Survival Guide
Living with Acquired Brain Injury
in the Community
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Funding for the preparation and publication of this guide was provided by theAcquired Brain Injury Partnership Project funded by
Saskatchewan Government Insurance and administered by Saskatchewan Health.
Co-authors were Phyllis Goertz,Rehabilitation Special Projects Coordinator of SASKATOON DISTRICT HEALTH,and Dr.Bryan
Acton,psychologist with the Saskatchewan CentralAcquired Brain Injury OutreachTeam.
Many families,survivors,health professionals and others provided valuable input in the writing of this guide.We would like to
extend a sincere thank you to the following persons for their assistance:The Saskatchewan South,Central and NorthAcquired
Brain Injury OutreachTeams,DaleActon,JoanActon,RebeccaActon,BrendaAhenakew,RodneyAshfield,Sharon Babcock,Janet
Barnes,Don Barnett (Registered Financial Planner),Lisa Blomme,Betsy Brown,Karin Buchanan,Dr.Robert Capp,Laura Carney,
Helen Christensen,Lorna Clarke,Peter Coburn,Lisette Coulling,Harry Dahl,Debbie Donald,Shirley Dowie,Vicki Elford,Stephanie
Fisher-Dortman,Kelly Froehlich,Shelley Gates,Dee George,James Gillis (Barrister and Solicitor),Shelley Hamilton,Carol Holland,
Mary Keller,Milt Kerpan,Marilyn Lash,Angie McConnell,Larry McGuire,Marlene McKay,Cindy Morgan,Kathy Muttart,Dr.Jo
Nanson,Annette Quiring,Loren Regier,Marilyn Robinson,Carry Stacey,JaneTosney,BrendaVan Der Loos,EvelynWalker and
family.
Copyright © 2000 SASKATOON DISTRICT HEALTH
All Rights Reserved.
This is an educational resource and is not intended to take the place of the advice and recommendations of health professionals
who are expert in the care of persons with a brain injury.The chapter entitled“PayingThe Bills” is not a substitute for financial or
legal advice.
The authors and SASKATOON DISTRICT HEALTH and any other party who has been involved in the preparation or publication
of this work shall not be liable for loss or damage,howsoever caused,resulting from any use to which this booklet and the
information and advice contained herein may be put.The authors have checked with sources believed to be reliable in their efforts
to provide information that is complete and generally in accord with the standards accepted at the time of publication.Neither the
authors nor SASKATOON DISTRICT HEALTH nor any other party who has been involved in the preparation or publication of this
work warrants that the information contained herein is in every respect accurate or complete,and they are not responsible for any
errors or omissions or for the results obtained from the use of such information.
For ease of reading we have used the pronoun he throughout the book.This was done for simplicity only and is not meant to imply
any gender bias.
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Background on Brain Injury MaintainingYour Family’s Paying the Bills and C
How Brain Damage Happens . . . . .1 Social Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 Taking Care of the Survivor
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Parts of the Brain and How Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 Help with Paying the Bills . . . . . . .57 o
InjuryAffectsThem . . . . . . . . . . .2 Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
What ifYouAren’t Satisfied . . . . .59 e
Severity of Brain Injury . . . . . . . . . .4
Helping the Survivor l
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Return to Work
Handle Money . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60 a
After the Hospital Signs of Readiness . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
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Who Can Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
Discharge and Reduced Returning to the Old Job . . . . . . .35
Therapy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Looking for a New Job . . . . . . . . .37 Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65
Finding Information on Keeping the Job . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
Brain Injury . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Expectations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 Sexuality
Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 Common Changes . . . . . . . . . . . .67
Helping Rebuild Skills Coping with Changes . . . . . . . . . .68
The Science of Helping . . . . . . . . .13 Return to School
Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69
What the Survivor Needs to What to Expect from
Rebuild Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Your Child . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45
General Health
Conflicting Goals . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Your Role as Parents . . . . . . . . . .46
Nutrition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71
Working with the School . . . . . . .46
Medications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73
The New Family Handling Disagreements with
Changes in the Survivor . . . . . . . .20 the School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49 Alcohol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75
Increased Responsibilities . . . . . . .20 The Importance of Early Illegal Drugs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76
Changes in Roles . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 Intervention forYoung
Changes in Relationships . . . . . . .23 Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50 Ongoing Physical Problems
Common Responses . . . . . . . . . . .24 Grief,Guilt and Depression . . . . .51 Fatigue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77
Coping Ideas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52
Headaches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79
Dizziness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81
The New Lifestyle Residential Options
Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81
Energy Levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 Possible Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53
Social Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 Identify Local Resources . . . . . . . .53
Resources
Building a New Social Life Age Plays a Role in
Provincial Offices . . . . . . . . . . . . .83
for the Survivor . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 Your Decision . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54
StayingActive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 A HomeAway from Home . . . . .55 ABI OutreachTeams . . . . . . . . . . .83
Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
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This guide has been written to provide year,but progress may continue for many
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information and support to families of years.Your family’s adjustment is also a long
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persons who have had a moderate to severe process.In this book,we hope you will find t
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brain injury.Since each brain injury is some expression of your own experience -
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different,not all information will apply to that you will realize you are not alone and
every family.It is the hope ofABI Outreach your responses to this sudden and major
Teams that the guide will assist families in the change in life are normal.As Jean Church has
journey toward a new“normal” in the first said,
year or two following the brain injury.
“You can come out of the furnace of trouble
This book offers general information on two ways:if you let it consume you,you
issues you may encounter during the come out a cinder;but there is a kind of
establishment of a new life following brain metal which refuses to be consumed and
injury.It is not designed to replace any comes out a star.”
information provided by the health
professionals working with you and your We hope this book provides you with
family member. support to help you come out a star.
(cid:1)(cid:1) (cid:1)(cid:1) (cid:1)(cid:1)
Recovery from brain injury is a long process.
Great improvements are seen in the first
“You can come out of the furnace of trouble two ways:
if you let it consume you, you come out a cinder;
but there is a kind of metal which refuses to be
consumed and comes out a star.”
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Background
On Brain
Injury
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