The Importance of Family Support in Brain Injury Rehabilitation
Brain injuries are some of the most severe injuries a person can experience. Not only will they deal with the physical effects of an injury like this, but they also have to contend with what it does to their mental and cognitive ability. The most concerning issue is that brain injuries tend to get worse if they aren’t treated correctly. Undergoing the right rehabilitation program is essential – though individuals with brain injuries need all the support they can get.
That’s where family becomes one of the most important pillars in brain injury rehab. It’s your job – as a family member – to support and help the individual suffering from a serious brain injury. They can’t handle everything on their own, and this post explains why family support is so integral during the recovery stage.
Restoring A Sense Of Normality
Brain injury rehabilitation comes after the person has been in the hospital and been declared “medically safe”. They’re no longer a serious risk and can begin the long road to recovery. Family support at this stage restores a sense of normality to the person. They see the people they love and gradually become accustomed to seeing the same faces or being back at home.
The best way to see the value of family support in this sense is to imagine the situation without it. Someone has just suffered a serious brain injury, and then they don’t have any family to help them through it. It’s like their world turns upside down and remains that way, making it far harder to even think about recovery. Being around their family gives some added motivation to follow the necessary rehabilitation steps so they can get as close to “normal” as possible.
Providing Crucial Emotional Support
Imagine you’ve suffered from a brain injury and suddenly can’t do all the things you used to love doing. You feel completely and utterly stuck. It’s a terrible sensation, leading to heightened emotions of anger, stress, frustration and more. Having your family around you gives you a shoulder to lean on – they’re an emotional support outlet during brain injury rehabilitation. Even if it’s as simple as being there to listen to you moan, it makes you feel better as you don’t bottle up your emotions.
And that’s precisely why you need to be there to support someone in your family if they have a brain injury. Think about all the negative emotions bubbling up inside of them; they need an outlet, someone to talk to and express their frustrations or anger. You might be able to provide some comforting words, or you won’t. In either regard, simply being there for emotional support works wonders during the whole recovery process.
Offering Vital Practical Support
As well as being there emotionally for a loved one following a brain injury, you need to be there in a practical sense. Many of their problems and concerns throughout rehabilitation will revolve around practical issues. Their injury leaves them unable to do certain things – possibly forever or maybe for an extended period. Your job as a family member is to support them as much as you can, assist with daily activities, manage medical care, and create a safe environment at home.
Your ongoing support makes their life easier. They don’t have to struggle as much to do simple things and can focus on getting better. You also have to deal with the reality that some brain injuries are so traumatic a person will never fully recover. Your loved one could lose the ability to perform normal daily tasks, but you can be there to ensure their life remains positive! Practical support helps them do as much as they can so they can still be happy.
Family Support Increases The Chances Of Positive Outcomes
Looking at the three points above, a clear conclusion can be drawn from this post. Family support does a lot of work in helping individuals recover and rehabilitate from brain injuries. Being there emotionally and practically for someone will restore their sense of normality and increase the chances of positive outcomes. The role of the family is to create a great support system, allowing the individual to focus on getting better. Without this, positive outcomes are less likely, and their quality of life diminishes. So, don’t underestimate your role when someone close to you has a serious brain injury; your support gives them the boost they need to recover as best as possible and live a more fulfilling life.
Poppy Watt