You Asked Us (FAQ)
The following is a list of questions most frequently asked by families and friends of survivors of brain injuries.
How does brain injury affect individuals?
Brain injury can have many impacts. Basically, the brain is a complex system that controls messages being sent to and from the body. Depending on the extent of the injury and the part of the brain affected, a brain injury can affect mobility, vision, hearing, touch and smell as well as cognitive, emotional and social functions.
A severe brain injury can result in the loss of movement in legs and arms, leaving many survivors reliant on wheelchairs for mobility. Many survivors are “trapped” inside their bodies and need extensive rehabilitation to relearn basic communication skills, such as talking. But the so-called mild to moderate brain injuries can have devastating personal and social effects. Survivors of these injuries may find it difficult to make basic business and life decisions, interact with others and maintain effective family relationships.
How long does it take to recover from brain injury?
Brain injury can be a life-altering event, no matter whether it’s severe or mild. Many people with severe brain injury need four to five years of intensive rehabilitation therapy, followed by lifelong care and support, to meet the new challenges they face reentering the community. Milder brain injuries may take several months or several years, depending on the nature and extend of the injury.
When will my loved one recover?
No one can yet predict with absolute certainty a brain injury survivor’s capacity to relearn or adapt to lost skills or how long it will take. Health care professionals will typically provide a prognosis – how well and how quickly they believe the survivor will recover. The medical prognosis takes into consideration the severity of the brain injury, whether it’s mild, moderate or severe.
What kind of help does he/she need and who will provide it?
Severe brain injuries
Individuals with severe brain injuries generally require hospital care in the earliest stages of their recovery and adaptation process. Once the individual is medically stable, he/she will likely need rehabilitation to adapt to or relearn lost skills. Depending on the extent of the brain injury, rehabilitation can take weeks, months or even years. Survivors of a severe brain injury may need lifelong support to manage the growing number of issues that arise as they move back into the world.
Mild or moderate brain injuries
Many mild or moderate brain injuries don’t require hospitalization. In fact, the effects of a mild or moderate brain injury may not be noticed for some time after the incident. These injuries are often termed “invisible” because they affect the thinking, emotional and social capabilities of our brain without any other external signs of change or injury being evident. But they can be just as devastating as severe brain injuries and require the attention of professionals specifically trained in this type of brain injury.
Where is he/she going to live – at home or someplace else?
Institutional living/long-term care/nursing home – the survivor lives in an institutional setting where they receive 24-hour nursing care.
Assisted living/ supported living/ personal care homes – operated in a home-like setting, providing survivors with the appropriate level of support they need to live as independently as possible.
Who is going to pay for all this?
If your family member’s brain injury required hospitalization, chances are you’ve been contacted by a social worker who can answer some of your questions or direct you to organizations that can provide answers. Your personal circumstances, the cause of your brain injury, your access to insurance or disability benefits, and the contract arrangements the individual community agencies have with service funders and purchasers, all need to be considered when determining how your services will be paid for.
Insurance Coverage
Check your insurance policies to see what is covered. Some common insurance policies are:
- Automobile insurance
- Workers’ Compensation Board, which covers persons injured at work
- Canada Pension Plan Disability Pension, which may provide a disability pension for some with a work history
- Private disability from the survivor’s workplace
- Private disability income plan or critical illness plan carried by the survivor
- Home or other policy where the person was injured
Motor Vehicle Accident Claims Fund
Many brain injuries are caused by motor vehicle accidents and all drivers in Alberta are supposed to have insurance. If you are injured by someone without insurance, you may want to contact the Motor Vehicle Accident Claims Fund: (780) 427-8255. You can call toll free from anywhere in the province by dialing the RITE system at 310-0000. Or you can access their Web site at: http://www.justice.gov.ab.ca/mvac/default.aspx.
Financial Assistance
If your family member’s brain injury is permanent and severe, leaving him or her unable to work, he or she may be eligible for Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH). To find out, contact 310-000. Website information is available at http://www.seniors.gov.ab.ca/aish/.
If your family member is not eligible for AISH, but needs an income or income supplement, he or she may apply for Income Support, which helps pay for basic needs such as food, clothing and a place to live. Call 1-866-644-5135 (toll free) to find out more information
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