When a loved one gets hurt, seeing them struggle afterward can be very difficult. Those with moderate to severe traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) may require medically-induced comas, lengthy hospitalization and surgeries to heal. After they come back home from the hospital, families often have to make some major adjustments. It can be difficult to adjust to life when supporting a loved one with a life-altering injury.
The following are some of the ways that a spouse, parent or other caregiver can expect their life to change after a loved one acquires a relatively significant TBI.
A need to provide regular support
Roughly a third of people with moderate to severe brain injuries rely on others for everyday activities, such as personal hygiene needs and household maintenance. Those support demands can strain a previously positive relationship. They can also lead to caregiver burnout. Even the most devoted parent, spouse or adult child may occasionally need respite to take care of their own needs and their mental health when serving as the primary caregiver for someone with a brain injury (TBI).
A drop in household income
If the individual who sustains the injury was one of the wage earners contributing to the household’s revenue, the entire family may need to prepare for a major change in financial circumstances. Most people with moderate to severe brain injuries struggle to maintain the same employment they had before. In some cases, they may not be able to work at all. Caregivers often have to make difficult budgetary decisions or even look for ways to improve their income to make up for what their injured loved one cannot earn.
Mental health challenges
Caregiver burnout is one of many struggles that can accompany adjusting to life after a loved one acquires a TBI. People may also struggle with depression when they lose the relationship they previously enjoyed with the injured individual. They may find it harder to relate to other people or to continue pursuing what they personally enjoy such as hobbies. It is quite common for people to need the support of a mental health professional or the comfort of a support group of others in similar circumstances. They may need ongoing help during their adjustment and throughout the time that they continue serving as a caregiver to a loved one with a debilitating medical condition.
Realizing a moderate to severe TBI affects more than just the person who has been hurt can help people pursue compensation and support afterward. Brain injuries tend to have long-lasting social and economic consequences for the injured individual and those who maintain close relationships with that person alike.