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Michael Paul Mason, BrainLine (page 3 of 4) Page 3 of 4
17. How can I find financial assistance?
It takes a lot of money, time, and resources to deal with TBI effectively, so it’s no surprise that people with TBI and their families can be placed under tremendous financial strain. Financial assistance will vary based on the kind of TBI you have, the kind of insurance you carry, and even the state you live in. In many cases, those with TBI must make due with the few resources that are available.
Case managers or social workers may be available through treatment centers or through your state’s health and human services organizations. They may be aware of specific types of aid particular to your circumstances. Veterans, on the other hand, should approach their care coordinators to help identify options that may (or may not) exist.
18. What are some housing options for people with TBI?
Keeping and maintaining a home environment is difficult enough for the average person; with a TBI, housing issues can become a real problem. Finding help for your housing needs is a complicated, difficult task, and in some areas of the country, adequate housing simply may not be available.
Your local Department of Health may be able to direct you to housing assistance programs in your area. For those requiring in-home medical assistance, some programs may be available through local nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, or community support programs.
19. Will I be able to resume my old job, or find new, meaningful employment?
TBIs often upset a person’s ability to work, but many people who experience a TBI are able to return to their previous occupations. You may require additional assistance or certain technologies (voice recorders, organizers, or visual aids) in order to resume former duties, or you may enlist the help of a vocational rehabilitation expert to find new and meaningful employment. In severe cases, a person may not be able to physically participate in work.
Businesses that employ more than 15 people must comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) or face legal repercussions. If you have a substantial impairment from a TBI, then the ADA requires your employer to provide you with reasonable accommodation.
To learn more about your ADA rights, visit http://www.eeoc.gov/facts/ada18.html.
20. Who will love me?
TBI does not affect your ability to love or be loved, but it can have an effect on relationships. While no studies offer information about relationships in the case of mild TBIs, one study reports that 46 percent of people who sustained moderate to severe TBI experienced a divorce within five years after their injury.11
Despite the numbers affecting the severe TBI population, many people with TBI are able sustain and nurture their relationships with minimal difficulties. In some cases, leaning on resources such as support groups or relationship counselors can be a helpful way to deal with relationship challenges.
21. How do I deal with all these new emotions like depression, anxiety, anger?
Emotional hardship is one of the most common consequences of TBI. It is a frightening and frustrating injury, and can cause you to feel depressed, anxious, or angry. If emotional problems begin to have a direct effect on your ability to function and maintain your relationships, you should seek the help of a therapist or counselor familiar with TBI issues. Additionally, neuropsychiatrists and neuropsychologists may be of help in diagnosing and treating emotional disorders that arise after TBI.
22. Where do I find the services and help I need — not just for today, but down the road?
With TBI, finding the right kind of help can be tricky. In many cases, it’s much easier to ask for help from local organizations. Most states have a Brain Injury Association that may provide a list of services that are available. Additionally, state health and human services programs may offer case managers or social workers who can help create a treatment strategy for those with TBI.
23. What are the primary collaborating organizations ?
Brain Injury Association of America
www.biausa.org
800-444-6443
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
www.cdc.gov
800-311-3435
Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center
www.dvbic.org
800-870-9244
Health Resources and Services Administration
www.hrsa.gov
301-443-3376
National Association of State Head Injury Administrators
www.nashia.org
301-656-3500
National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research, NICHD, NIH
www.nichd.nih.gov/about/ncmrr
800-370-2943
National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research
www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/nidrr
202-245-7640
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH
www.ninds.nih.gov
800-352-9424
North American Brain Injury Society
www.nabis.org
703-960-6500
Social Security Administration
www.ssa.gov
800-772-1213
Some of these answers are based in whole or in part on publications of The Centers for Disease Control and the Traumatic Brain Injury Research Group at Mount Sinai School of Medicine.
Written exclusively for BrainLine by Michael Paul Mason. For more information about author and brain injury case manager Michael Paul Mason, go to www.michaelpaulmason.com.
Michael Paul Mason has served as an editor for two literary publications, and has appeared on several national media outlets, including the Lehrer Newshour, CBS News, and NPR's Morning Edition.
His writings have appeared in several newspapers and magazines, including Discover, The New York Times, and The Believer. Mason remains active as a lecturer and speaker. Mason has also built a reputation for noteworthy journalism. When Mason's article, "Dead Men Walking", appeared in Discover magazine, it ignited a national debate about the treatment of brain injured soldiers. Mason has since traveled to Iraq to report on healthcare and humanitarian issues.
Mason's first book, Head Cases: Stories of Brain Injury and Its Aftermath is an exploration into the harsh realities endured by brain injury survivors. While currently a brain injury projects manager at the Neurologic Rehabilitation Institute at Brookhaven Hospital, Mason continues to advocate on behalf of Americans with brain injury and is involved with several national legislative initiatives.
He is currently the founding editor of This Land, a monthly magazine based in Tulsa. He is also at work on a non-fiction book called The Human Assembly: The Discovery, History, and Industry of our Parts, Tissues, and Organs.
The contents of Brainline (the “Web Site”), such as text, graphics, images, information obtained from the Web Site’s licensors and/or consultants, and other material contained on the Web Site (collectively, the “Content”) are for informational purposes only. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for medical, legal, or other professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Specifically, with regards to medical issues, always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on the Web Site. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately. The Web Site does not recommend or endorse any specific tests, physicians, products, procedures, opinions, or other information that may be mentioned on the Web Site. Reliance on any information provided by the Web Site or by employees, volunteers or contractors or others associated with the Web Site and/or other visitors to the Web Site is solely at your own risk.
Comments [9]
I have a 46 year old family member who, at 18, was in terrible accident. He was drinking, rolled his truck, and was thrown from the vehicle. No one saw it actually happen, but he was found walking around the highway with no recollection of the accident. No medical measures were taken, and will he will not acknowledge anything wrong with him. Though he has learned adult coping skills, he thinks and behaves just like he was still 18. Has anyone else experienced this?
MVA about fifteen months ago. One of my problems is sexual dysfunction-What can be done??
After being in serveral blasts in both Iraq and Afghanistan I suffer from TBI, it has a great impact on your daily life, from sleeping, eating, and one of the worst is your emotional state of mind. It not only effects the soldier but the family back home, the TBI has been one of the hardest things that both my wife and I have had to overcome and we are far from overcooming it completely. in short I wanted to tell people not to hide the fact that they have a TBI but to embrace it and learn from it.
im experiencing a hard time focussing in class but i never had before i recently took a blow to the head, what do i do
seizures at the age of 70 with M.R.I scan showing oedema in the brain ??what does it mean???
I want to know the memory capacity of the human brain
I had a severe motorbike accident in 1986 - that left me in a coma for 7-months. I had global brain damage. I won't try to fool you: rehabilitation is tough and it takes a lot of effort - but it does happen ... if you're willing to put in a lot of effort.
I suffer having a traumatic head injury, because I was hurt in a vehicle accident three years ago. And every day, I suffer because everything is so hard to do, especially since I am in a wheelchair all day long, away from my friends and family. It really is painful, I can\'t explain it.
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My 23 year old step son was in an accident July 2010. While he has made a very good recovery physically and mentally, I feel often like I am dealing with a teenager not a 23 year old. It is very difficult because he lies and manipulates you in any situation that suits him. They say to be patient and kind and caring to a TBI, but my TBI is very hard to deal with on a daily basis. The lies and manipulation just tear down your patience and caring attitude. I know he struggles but adding the �extra�s� on top of the injury makes it very depressing to deal with. It seems to be that these personality traits were there before and now are �heightened�. SO in so many words I relate to the post of the boy acting 18. We were told by doctors to expect to deal with a 12 year old. I believe daily he goes anywhere from about a 12 year old to an actual 23 year old. I believe it is just the way they will be unless they get the therapy they so need and deserve. That is my hope as for now, starting therapy that should have happened directly after the injury, but it is very hard to get the TBI to understand that there is something wrong and to come to terms with the actual incident. Good luck to all, I know we all need it.
Dec 28th, 2011 6:09pm