Tampa Bay Caregivers For Victims Of Brain Injury
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders [1] and Stroke (NINDS) describes Traumatic brain injury (TBI) as a form of acquired brain injury that occurs when a sudden trauma causes damage to the brain. TBI can result when the head suddenly and violently hits an object, or when an object pierces the skull and enters brain tissue. Symptoms of a TBI can be mild, moderate, or severe, depending on the extent of the damage to the brain.
Tampa Bay Caregivers
If a loved one has sustained a brain injury in an accident, the person who will act as the caregiver may find that their new responsibilities have arisen suddenly and without warning. Few injuries result in the devastating and overwhelming damage that can accompany severe brain injury[2]. The loved one who sustains a brain injury may behave differently, think differently and even move differently.
Caregiving During Florida Brain Injury Recovery
According to the American Psychological Association[3], the process of recovery following a Florida brain injury can be long and demanding for both the survivor and the family. Caregivers typically progress through several phases of recovery following a family member’s brain injury. During the acute-care hospital stay, caregivers often neglect their home and work responsibilities, and may have difficulty transitioning back to their preinjury activities. They may have to take a practical approach, or pull together with friends and family for support to meet basic needs. Emotions reported include disbelief, grief and difficulty with acceptance. Once the survivor transitions to a rehabilitation program, caregivers tend to report hopes for a rapid recovery, but may also have decreased social support and an increased level of awareness that some changes in the survivor may be permanent. As is often the case, many caregivers assume the responsibility of providing the majority of care for the TBI survivor once rehabilitation is complete. Further, when thinking about the future, many caregivers experience a grieving process that includes redefining themselves, fear of long-term caregiver stress, and redefining their expectations.
Learning How to Navigate the Caregiver Role After a Florida Accident
Taking care of a loved one with traumatic brain injury can be too much for any one person, especially if the care is full-time. The more people participating in the care, the less alone a caregiver feels in their role. That circle of care could include friends, neighbors or even paid caregivers.
A Tampa Bay Caregiver Must Take Care of Themselves
Caregivers for Tampa Bay brain injury patients should access their own coping strategies:
- Time: Take time for yourself to avoid caregiver fatigue. It is impossible to care for a loved one if the caregiver is physically or emotionally exhausted.
- Depression: It is important for a caregiver to acknowledge their own feelings of depression or anxiety.
- Support: Support groups can provide invaluable assistance for a caregiver or other family member.
- Education: It is important for all caregivers to educate themselves about brain injury and all available resources.
According to the Family Caregiver Alliance[4], studies show that caregivers of people who have suffered a brain injury may experience feelings of burden, distress, anxiety, anger and depression. As a result, all brain injury caregivers should recognize how stressful the situation can be and seek support services. The Alliance further provides:
- Family caregivers are at increased risk for depression and excessive ue of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs.
- Caregiving can be an emotional roller coaster.
- Exhaustion, worry, inadequate resources and continuous care demands are enormously stressful. Studies show that an estimated 46 to 59 percent of caregivers are clinically depressed.
- Caregivers are more likely to have a chronic illness than non-caregivers.
Contact a Tampa Bay Brain Injury Attorney
If you act as the caregiver for someone that suffered a traumatic brain injury, it is important to contact an experienced Tampa Bay brain injury attorney who can assist you in determining if you or your loved one are entitled to compensatory damages from those who may be responsible. At the Dolman Law Group in Clearwater, Florida, our team of highly skilled brain injury lawyers have helped many victims obtain the recovery they deserve for their injuries and related losses including lost wages, medical expenses as well as pain and suffering. Please call our office at 727-451-6900 today.
Dolman Law Group
800 North Belcher Road
Clearwater, FL 3375
(727) 451-6900
https://www.dolmanlaw.com/legal-services/brain-injury-attorneys/
References:
[1] http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/tbi/tbi.htm
[2] http://www.brainline.org/landing_pages/categories/caregiving.html
[3] http://www.apa.org/pi/disability/resources/publications/newsletter/2015/03/brain-injury-caregivers.aspx
[4] https://www.caregiver.org/traumatic-brain-injury
