Excerpt from "Roller Coaster Ride With Brain Injury (For Loved Ones)"

Adaptations And Adjustments

"Because Larry's file had been closed, I did research on Internet to discover ways to help him adapt to his deficits. One study said, "Those with brain injuries must find different ways to deal with their new limitations. With help and patience, as well as using strategies and tools to compensate, they can overcome their deficits. After reading this excerpt to Larry, I asked him if he was interested in trying, with my help, to adapt to his deficits. He said, "probably not."

His decision, I realized, left me with the challenge of learning to adapt and adjust to his brain injury myself, without his help. I decided, after thinking about the challenge, that adapting and adjusting was more a matter of coping and accepting.

According to McCubbin and McCubbin, 1991, the necessary requirements involve several important issues. First, there must be resiliency for there to be the ability to adapt and adjust to living with a family member with brain injury. Other important requirements included the following:

Personal Resources:......

Family Resources:.......

Social Support:.........

Coping patterns:........"