This entry is republished from the DCoE blog.
A sudden or unexpected injury such as a traumatic brain injury (TBI) can instantly change the lives of an entire family. And for the caregiver, caring for an individual with TBI can be a long-term, even lifetime, commitment. There are tools out there to help you learn what to expect and how to cope.
Who are caregivers? In today’s society, a caregiver takes many identities such as a physician, counselor, parent, spouse, daughter, son, brother, sister, relative or friend. Caregivers often assume the role of advocate, case manager, benefits coordinator and even health care provider for their warrior. All of these roles may be new to you.
Being a caregiver is a lot of responsibility and not knowing how to manage the stress that may accompany this new role can take a toll on you, both physically and emotionally. Compassion fatigue is common.
Patients with TBI frequently have emotional and behavioral problems, and these issues can contribute to the stress that the caregiver feels. Click here for more information on the kinds of behavioral and emotional issues that you may encounter.
If you’re a caregiver:
- Remember to take advantage of the resources available to you, such as in-home help from home health aides or personal care assistants, family and friends offering assistance, web-based support networks and local support groups
- Realize that feelings of sadness and frustration are normal
- Reward yourself periodically with short breaks
- Talk about your feelings with family and friends
- Do not isolate yourself
- Try relaxation activities such as yoga, warm baths, reading, listening to music, or just spending time with friends
Find more coping tips here.
It’s an ongoing journey to healing and recovery for not only the service member who has survived the injury, but for you now caring for him or her. Caregivers, we encourage you to support your fellow caregivers by leaving a comment with tips and resources that have helped you.
*Check out BrainLine.org, where you will find a number of helpful videos for caregivers.
*If you missed it, read our February DCoE in Action article on “A Caregiving Society.”
*Get more information and a list of resources available to caregivers from the Real Warriors Web site.