BrainLine News - December 2008
The holidays are a time for family togetherness, friendship, and community. For people with a brain injury and their families, that can sometimes mean challenging social situations. BrainLine wants to help lessen that possible strain. This month, we are featuring strategies for building social skills, resources for families, and information on how to get involved in the TBI community. And because winter will be here soon, we have information about adaptive snow sports as well as accident prevention.
In This Issue
- Did You Know?
- Resources and Events
- Research and News
- Ideas For Caregivers
- Inspiring Stories
Did You Know?
BrainLine recently sat down with Michael Paul Mason, a TBI case manager and author of the recent book Head Cases: Stories of Brain Injury and Its Aftermath, to talk about his work and the many people whose lives have intersected with his.
Watch video >>
Get Active This Winter — It's Good for the Mind and Body
When snow and cold weather arrive, some people think sports — skiing, snowboarding, and skating. For someone with a TBI, physical activity not only helps the mind and body, it also can be the impetus to take rehabilitation to the next level. Founded in 1967 by Vietnam veterans with disabilities, Disabled Sports USA helps people with disabilities gain confidence and dignity through participation in sports, recreation, and related educational programs. Check out their extensive events calendar and join in.
Read more >>
Join the TBI Community on LinkedIn
Want to connect with other people who are interested in TBI? The Brainline.org group on LinkedIn is a wonderful way to meet other professionals, participate in discussions about TBI, and share ideas and questions with the community. We hope you’ll join us!
Join our group on LinkedIn >>
Resources and Events
Great TBI Resources from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
For more than 83 years, ASHA has been striving to make effective communication accessible and achievable for all people. That includes people who have sustained a traumatic brain injury. Learn more about communication, hearing, and eating problems that can occur after a TBI and what treatment is available. Start by reading some of ASHA’s articles written specifically for people with TBI.
Read more >>
Remembering People’s Names Is Not Easy — for Anyone!
The holidays are fast approaching, bringing with them lots of social occasions. Remembering names can be hard, especially for some people with TBI, and forgetting them can be awkward. For tools and tips on remembering names, read "I’d Like You to Meet What’s-Her-Face: Strategies for Remembering Names," from the National Resource Center for Traumatic Brain Injury, Virginia Commonwealth Model Systems of Care.
Read more >>
Spread the Word About BrainLine
BrainLine.org was created to provide authoritative information about traumatic brain injury as well as a sense of community for people with brain injury, their caregivers, and professionals. You can help the people you serve find this information by linking to BrainLine.org. Using our links kit, your webmaster can use our simple code and graphics to set up a link to BrainLine.org on your site. It's quick and easy.
Read more >>
Research and News
DVBIC Telemedicine Initiative "TBI.consult" Supports Military Healthcare Providers Worldwide
Specialists are not always available when a service member sustains a TBI. In response, DVBIC has established a telemedicine program to help military healthcare providers assess and treat TBI in remote locations. "TBI.consult" is a specialty group of experts — from neurologists and neuropsychologists to physiatrists and physical therapists — who help address specific medical concerns related to TBI through e-mail. Military healthcare providers who need help can send questions to TBI.consult@us.army.mil and receive expert clinical responses from TBI experts within five hours.
Contact TBI.consult >>
Take a Survey on Brain Injury and Driving
Interested in participating in research? The University of Iowa is conducting a survey to learn how well people with brain injuries drive post-injury and to assess their willingness to do non-driving tasks, like talking on a cell phone or applying make-up, while driving. The survey is completely anonymous and voluntary and is being conducted in collaboration with the Brain Injury Association of Iowa.
Take the survey >>
Keep Up with TBI News
Stay up to date on current news and research about traumatic brain injury with BrainLine’s free weekly news headlines. Check our homepage every Monday or subscribe to our free RSS feed to bring the headlines to your own site. RSS stands for "really simple syndication," and it’s a great way to tap into regular fresh content. Talk to your webmaster about setting up our RSS feed on your site. It’s simple — and free.
Read more >>
Ideas For Caregivers
Lee Woodruff knows that life comes with myriad challenges after a spouse sustains a brain injury. Her husband, ABC News Anchor Bob Woodruff, sustained a life-threatening TBI in 2006 while reporting from Iraq. Watch Lee’s presentation at the Wounded Troops and Partners Conference, an event sponsored by the Morehouse School of Medicine Center of Excellence for Sexual Health.
Watch video >>
Inspiring Stories
December 1, 2008
While engaged to be married, Jason Ferguson sustained a traumatic brain injury in a car crash. More than six years later, Jason and Susannah are married and have a toddler. Although, as in any marriage, there have been bumps along the way, the Fergusons have learned that celebrating every joy and accomplishment is the key to a healthy and happy family.
Watch video >>
For more information about TBI, please come visit us at BrainLine.org.
All the best from BrainLine.
Noel Gunther, Executive Director
Christian Lindstrom, Director, Learning Media
Victoria Youcha, EdD, Director, BrainLine
Matthew Bruce, Web Manager
Victoria Tilney McDonough, Associate Editor
Elaine Phillips, MSP, CCC/SLP, Research Consultant
Theresa Rankin, Outreach Consultant
Brian King, Senior Multimedia Producer
Kimberley Larson, Web Designer
Ian Collins, Technical Web Manager
Leon Gittens, Project Administrator
Krystal Klingenberg, Project Coordinator
Newsletter editor: Victoria Tilney McDonough
About BrainLine
BrainLine is a service of WETA, the flagship public television and radio station in the nation's capitol.
BrainLine is funded by the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center, the primary operational TBI component of the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury, through a subcontract award with the Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine.
This material is based upon work supported by the USAMRAA under Contract Number W81XWH-07-C-0089. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the USAMRAA.