Head Injury: The Facts: A Guide for Families and Care-givers (The ^AFacts Series)

By Dorothy Gronwall, Peter Waddell, Philip Wrightson

Book Overview

Whether they are caused by traffic accidents, incidents of violence, or occur during sports or leisure activities, as many do, head injuries can dramatically and tragically alter the victim's ability to cope with life. They also present unique problems for caregivers and families of patients. Accompanying personality changes and disorders, lingering effects such as headache and dizziness, and the sheer difficulty in predicting the duration of the healing process and its eventual outcome all combine to create special stresses for those involved. This book offers a clear description of the facts of head injury in terms understandable to patients and their families, as well as health care staff. It explains both physical and psychological effects and how they may best be confronted, and possibly overcome. It takes the reader from hospital emergency room thorough the posthospital experience, detailing the stages of recovery and techniques for charting progress. The book also discusses the ways that head trauma can affect families and friends, and, for patients who have recovered sufficiently, there are suggestions on managing the return to normal living. For those with more serious injuries, a section describes the long-term adjustments that victims and their caregivers will need to make. The final section outlines the requirements of a typical head injury rehabilitation system, and suggests ways for individuals to make sure they have an opportunity to participate. The authors have many years of experience working with head injured people and the organizations that have been formed to help them.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0192619225
• ISBN13: 9780192619228
• Release Date: January 1992
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.5" x 0.5" x 5.4"

Customer Reviews

Dealing with both sides of Head Injuries

Having had a stroke and now helping friends dealing with various head injuries (cancer,stroke,etc) this book has helped all of them understand what is happening and makes coping with the victum easier. I keep a couple books on hand to send out as needed. It is informative, easily read, understood, and applicable.

Well-written and informative

This book has helped me to better understand situations that a relative is going through from a near-fatal car accident. The different 'stages' and possible recovery difficulties are described in detail in this book: it tells about different patients and how they came through their recovery; it also explains about how their personalities can be affected by brain injury. It is a clearly written and easy to follow book, especially considering the fact that it deals with such a serious subject.

learning about brain injury

This book is an excellent overview of the basic facts associated with brain injury. It clearly presents the nature of brain injury and the aftermath, both immediate and long term. It relates incidents of behavior and ways of coping with the difficulties during the recovery period. The description of the matter of expectations and a realistic approach to the condition of the brain injured is helpful in dealing with the stress of sometimes confusing, frustrating and sudden change in the injured person and the family.The kinds of related healthcare professionals and their functions are identified. The book is organized in a way that information is easily accessible; it contains useful and practical tips.Altogether this is a very helpful guide through what is often a frightening, confusing and unfamiliar process.

Informative must read for the Head Injured and Caregivers.

This book say it all in a most readable way. It could be handed to a recent head injured person who is still confused as a tool to help understand what is happening to them. It should be compulsory reading for every family member and care giver of the head injured . My family and friends have all read it and I must say it transformed their attitude and understanding as to what I was dealing with. It is written in simple but concise language you do not have to have a degree to understand. It uses real life examples which enables one to be able to associate with individual aspects of what is being relayed. Not only does it formulate the problems but gives concise direction as to available solutions and strategies that can be adopted by all parties. I know that this book has been a most valuable tool in my development after my head injury and feel it has great merit. A viable gift to anyone with a head injury or has a head injury in the family.