What is Traumatic Brain Injury?

Traumatic brain injury can happen to anyone. All sorts of accidents can cause a serious head injury, either the head is struck by something or a sudden jolt causes the brain to impact on the inside of the skull.

Suddenly you are struck by a car. You may wake up in hospital disorientated, often unable to speak, or move, to recognise family, or think clearly. You are definitely not functioning anywhere near where you were before the accident.

How is Someone Affected By Traumatic Brain Injury?

The after effects of traumatic brain injury may last a lot longer than any physical injuries and in the absence of intensive rehabilitation they can last a lifetime. They may prevent a return to any kind of work or education, giving the patient the prospect of little independence and decades of daily care because traumatic brain injury rarely reduces life expectancy.

The impact can range from:

• an inability to get in and out of bed
• the loss of ability to keep track of finances
• a lack of confidence
• anger management issues

What Happens When an Injured Person Leaves Hospital?

Patients may receive some rehabilitation either in hospital or in a residential unit but eventually they will return home. What happens next is very dependant on the provision made by their local PCT. Only a very small minority receive an assessment of their rehabilitation needs and an individual programme to help them cope day-to-day in their homes. Families will also come under a great deal of pressure coping with their new responsibilities.

The sooner rehabilitation can start after the accident, the better the outcome that can be achieved.

What Can Rehabilitation Acheive?

We at Reach can demonstrate that a well consrtucted, intensive, one-to-one rehabilitation program can revolutionise the level to which someone regains a degree of independence in their own homes. Effective rehabilitation can significantly reduce the number of hours of care required, making clients feel less dependant and it can give back the confidence to leave the house and meet people.

Reach has many clients, both children and adults, who have been able to restart in either their eductation or employment.

Our programmes also work with the injured persons family, showing them how to cope and providing them with the support strategies and information.