Traumatic brain injuries can result in substantial changes in cognitive ability, mood, and personality, and these can make it impossible for someone to live safely on their own. A person with a TBI may be prone to wandering, may forget things often, or may not be able to perform activities like bathing or eating without supervision.
The effects of a TBI may be permanent, so some people who have them will require full-time care for the rest of their lives. Families are put into the position of trying to ensure that their loved one is kept safe after their TBI. While nursing homes can provide a safe environment for someone with a TBI, they're not always the best choice—the institutionalized environment tends to limit independence.
Thankfully, you have an alternative option in the form of home care services. Home care can provide the same level of safety without placing as many restrictions on freedom. To learn three reasons why home care services are often the best choice to keep someone safe after a traumatic brain injury, read on.
1. Home Is Typically a Better Environment for Recovery
When someone suffers a traumatic brain injury, it instantly changes the course of their entire life. Part of recuperation is learning to adapt to the changes in cognition that occur as a result of the TBI. Staying at home with the help of home care services provides a more familiar and stable living situation, which can help people learn to adapt more quickly.
Moving to a nursing home for full-time care after a TBI can be detrimental, as it combines a sudden move along with a sudden change in cognitive ability. Learning to live in a new home adds extra stress to a situation that's already difficult, which can hamper recovery. For someone with a traumatic brain injury, it's often better to stay at home due to the added familiarity and the ability to maintain old routines.
2. Nursing Homes May Not Provide Enough
Children and adults can suffer traumatic brain injuries that result in requiring full-time care, and a nursing home is often not the best environment for them. Nursing homes will keep someone safe and provide the care that they need, but they may not be stimulating enough for someone who isn't elderly—the vast majority of nursing home residents will be senior citizens, and all activities and programs will be tailored towards them.
Living at home is often preferable for younger people who require full-time care, including those who need care for their traumatic brain injury. Most home care services will assist a client outside of the home as well, allowing them to leave the home and take trips to town while being supervised. This allows for a level of independence and self-direction that you normally won't find living in a nursing home, and this independence can help someone with a traumatic brain injury live a life that's as close to normal as possible.
3. Home Care Services Can Provide Individualized Support
Traumatic brain injuries vary quite a bit in their effects. Some people may have difficulty with their short-term memory, while others may be prone to wild mood swings as a result of the TBI. This affects the type of support that they require to live safely while retaining independence. A home care service provides one-on-one care, which allows the carer to tailor support based on how their traumatic brain injury affects their cognition and behavior. Unfortunately, this level of care is often not provided in an institutionalized setting like a nursing home—they simply don't have the amount of staff necessary to personalize care for each resident.
Ultimately, home care services are often a better choice for people who have suffered a traumatic brain injury because it's the best way to maintain independence while ensuring safety. For more information, contact local home care services.
