What Caregivers Need to Know About TBI

Traumatic brain injury is a complicated condition that can permanently impair a person's cognitive, physical or emotional functioning. Although TBI is obviously challenging for the patient suffering from the condition, it can also present difficulties to caregivers treating and otherwise helping those with traumatic brain injury.

Caregivers for TBI typically include some combination of:

  • family members
  • friends
  • physical therapists
  • psychotherapists
  • social workers

Factors Affecting Care for TBI

Care for traumatic brain injury will vary depending on a number of factors, including:

  • the degree to which caregivers (including doctors and families) understand the case at hand
  • the likelihood of recovery (or the degree to which doctors think a TBI patient will recover)
  • the patient's age
  • the type and severity of TBI a patient has

Family Care: Information for Primary TBI Caregivers

The primary caregiver(s) for a TBI patient will likely be family and/or a partner. As primary caregivers, families caring for a TBI patient will need to make some adjustments, first and foremost of which regards their relationship with the traumatic brain injury patient.

Depending on the severity of TBI, patients can have any number and type of mental, physical and/or emotional disabilities. Confronting the changes TBI complications cause in a loved one can be extremely emotionally painful for families, potentially resulting in depression, anxiety and/or frustration.

Here are some things that families or other primary caregivers for TBI patients can do to adjust, find strength and rebuild their relationship with the patient:

  • Go to support groups to work out your feelings and get strength (and tips) from others caring for TBI patients.
  • Go to therapy if you develop depression or other emotional problems. Like support groups, therapy can help you work through your feelings and find strength and courage to get through particularly tough times.
  • Seek help through federal programs and other social services that specifically work with caregivers for the disabled. Your state's Department of Rehabilitation is just one resource that can help you (and the TBI patient) get the doctors and other help needed.
  • Talk to doctors and other medical professionals to learn as much as you can about the nature of and treatments for the type of TBI your loved one has.

Above all, primary caregivers need to remember: never give up! Staying positive will keep your loved one with TBI optimistic, helping him or her to work harder and stay motivated during the rehabilitation process.