Brain Injuries and the Importance of Cognitive Exercises

While trying to determine how was the best way to help my partner after his motorcycle accident and subsequent brain injury, I was told that the earlier a person could begin doing cognitive exercises after their injury, the better their chances of recovery would be. This, however, is easier said than done because in the early stage of their injury they are often confused and angry and not in the slightest inclined towards doing exercises.

Some of the cognitive symptoms include impairments regarding perception, communication, reasoning, problem solving, planning, sequencing, lack of motivation, memory problems, inability to initiate activities and often poor judgment.

My partner displayed most of these symptoms and even at two and a half years post injury, he still has difficulties with some of them although to a lesser degree than he originally had. I believe strongly that my persistence in having him do the various cognitive exercises helped him reach the stage where he now can enjoy life to a greater degree than he might otherwise have.

I am listing below some of the cognitive exercises that we did. I included many more in my recently published book entitled 'Roller Coaster Ride With Brain Injury (For Loved Ones)' . This book can be purchased online at: www.trafford.com/08-0107 or orders@trafford.com or by telephoning: 1-888-232-4444.

The exercises:
- Draw lines at different angles and have injured person copy the angles of the lines drawn;
- Do lines like a backwards 'Z', and 'M' on its side facing left or right and other similar lines then have them draw the same outlines themselves;
- Do various other shapes - curved lines and patterns that are irregular, etc. and have him/her copy and draw these outlines;
- Do a partial pattern of a circle, oval, triangle, etc. and let him/her complete the patterns;
- Do circles, triangles, squares, rectangles, etc. and have him/her duplicate these shapes;
- Do a series of shapes that are all the same except for one, then have him/her circle the shape that is different;
- Do sequences of various shapes and have him/her continue making his/her own outlines of the sequences in proper order;
- Draw a maze and have him/her find his way out of the maze;
- Do word searches;
- Show a street map and have him/her find various streets on the map;
- Read him/her a very short story and then ask questions relating to the story. The same can be done with an item in the newspaper.
- Crossword puzzles and Suduko.