Living with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) can require extensive and pervasive needs, from resources and coping strategies to support and treatment plans. TBI can include anything between a closed-head or open-wound injury to a crushing brain injury. Those who suffer a TBI, even the mildest of forms, will inevitably endure a long road to recovery, accompanied by a range of potential complications including persistent headaches, personality changes, memory loss, speech issues, and seizures.
If you have a family member who has suffered a traumatic brain injury in NYC, it can be difficult to see them hurting. The process of adapting to unexpected circumstances related to TBI will be challenging for both you and them. Remember that you don’t have to face these battles on your own. Support is available. Your family member is going to need a close-knit support system for when things get tough, and oftentimes, just being present is enough. Here are some other ways you can help a family member who suffered a TBI.
Be Understanding and Patient
It’s important to recognize that suffering from a TBI is a life-changing experience and the effects of severe trauma are likely to take a toll on not only your family member’s physical health but also their mental health. Keep in mind that your patience may wear thin quickly, especially when you may have to repeat yourself multiple times in a conversation, or when your loved one takes their frustrations out on you.
There will be discouraging days where they will feel like giving up and there will be better days where they’re hopeful. Being there for them and trying your best to understand their feelings can make all the difference in the world.
Help Keep Your Family Member Organized
Common side effects of a TBI are loss of judgement, heightened confusion, and memory loss. These impairments can cause your family member to lose items, get lost in familiar settings, miss appointments, or forget how to complete regular activities. While you can’t press a button to make these symptoms go away, you can help manage them.
Try making your family member’s life easier by keeping their living space organized. Perform a walk-through assessment of their home to identify problems and have a respectful discussion about how organization will benefit them. Some strategies to help keep your family member organized include:
- Keep items in the same place
- Make sure rooms are neat and tidy
- Label all cabinets and drawers
- Create to-do lists
- Demonstrate how to do certain activities
- Put reminder signs around the house
- Use calendars and alarm clocks for appointments
Reinforce Progress
Emphasizing the progress your family member has made in their treatment can help keep them motivated. Realize that even the most undemanding activities for you may be exhausting and mentally draining for your family member. Reinforce how far they’ve come and acknowledge small accomplishments in their improvement. Take them outside, as a little fresh air and sunlight can reduce boredom and elevate self-esteem.
Maintain Normalcy, Structure, and Simplicity
Traumatic brain injuries can unravel every aspect of your family member’s life. Your loved one may feel uneasy, depleted, and unsure of how to conduct themselves. Things are going to change, but try not to make your loved one feel like they are lesser than you or anyone else. Keep things simple—too much information at once or talking about specific memories may overwhelm them.
In addition, promote normalcy and structure in your family member’s life. Establish a routine to help keep them on track. Set out time for family, meal breaks, rest, and treatment or rehab. Follow this routine as naturally as possible so that your loved one doesn’t feel singled out or different because they can’t participate in the same activities as others.
Simple Acts of Kindness Go a Long Way
Jackie Chan once said, “Sometimes it takes only one act of kindness and caring to change a person’s life.” The little things you do for your loved one will be something they remember forever. Small and kind gestures can uplift their spirits and boost their morale. Examples of kind things to do for your family member include:
- Buy their favorite snacks
- Bring pictures and blankets from home
- Run errands for your loved one
- Clean up their house
- Make a home-cooked meal
- Create a music playlist of their favorite songs
- Spend quality time with them
Contact an NYC Nursing Home Abuse Attorney About TBI Today
Serving victims of nursing home abuse is our core focus at Dalli & Marino, LLP. Our highly experienced nursing home abuse attorneys have over 25 years of experience in nursing home abuse litigation, and with offices in both NYC and Long Island, we are able to represent clients across New York City, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island, Nassau County, Suffolk County, and Westchester County. In these excruciating times, you need someone you can count on. That’s why attorneys with Dalli & Marino, LLP are here.
At Dalli & Marino, LLP, we have sought justice for victims of TBI, nursing home abuse, neglect, negligence, medical malpractice, slip and falls, and more. We understand the heartbreak that families feel when they learn that their loved ones have been manipulated or intentionally abused. Our high-powered legal team will do everything in our power to represent your loved one’s best interests. Call 888-465-8790 or complete our contact form for a free case evaluation today.
