Question

4. Identify and describe 2 observable impairments of a person with an acquired brain injury. (6 marks, one for impairment and possibly two for the description of the impairment) 

5. Describe how acquired brain injury can affect the family. 

6. Describe how you would support a client with acquired brain Injury who demonstrated cognitive deficits as a result of their injury. Identify a minimum of 2 possible problems you might encounter and what positive intervention strategies you would use to help the person. (6 marks: one mark for the identified problem and a possibility of 2 marks for supporting strategies) 

7. What is your role as a Personal Support Worker on the rehabilitation team for clients with acquired brain injury? 

Answer 1

4. Two observable impairments of a a person with an acquired brain injury are :-

- paralysis

- reduced endurance

- low reasoning power

5. Acquired brain injury can affect the family :-

The long-term effects of brain injury are difficult to predict. They will be different for each person and can range from mild to profound.

It is common for many people with ABI to experience increased fatigue (mental and physical) and some slowing down in how fast they can process information, plan and solve problems. They may experience changes to their behaviour and personality, physical and sensory abilities, or thinking and learning.

It affects every single member and almost every part of family life.The trauma of hospital, stresses of returning home, and the day-to-day strains of managing the household and finances can all place an enormous burden .

Families may have to adjust to enormous changes in circumstances over a very short space of time.

Families’ needs may change at different stages of the ‘journey’ of ABI.They may experience one set of feelings at the hospital, and another set entirely when their loved ones returns home.

#. Main stress and strain :-

Anxieties

Friends, neighbours and relatives not understanding

Financial strain.

And on top of the practical circumstances, there may be these emotional ones:

Shock

Blame

Denial

Feelings of loss

Anxieties about the reactions of others

Guilt at what’s happened, guilt for resenting the changes the injury has brought about

Anger and frustration

Changes in roles

6. Two possible problems related to cognitive defect are :-

Inability to speak

Inability to do their activity of daily living

#. Interventions for Inability to speak are :-

Use of images and pictures to communicate

Make use of gestures.

Present only one thought at a time.

Do not interrupt the patient if he or she is taking too long to communicate.

Pretend to understand the patient even if he or she does not make sense.

Keep communicating, even if the patient is upset, to help the patient change his or her mood.

#. Interventions for Inability to do activity of daily living are :-

Help the patient in doing activity of daily living

Encourage the patient to do independently once the patient has become stable

Regular exercise and physiotherapy to make muscles and bones strong enough

Provide emotional and psychological support

Involving patient relatives in doing activity of daily living

7. As a personal support worker , my role in rehabilitation team is to help and support the patient to recover fast by helping him or her in rehabilitation activities .