Severe Brain Injury.com - stories of brain injury rehabilitation

Severe brain injury

This site describes caring for people who have a severe traumatic brain injury.

There are stories from the perspective of the author when she was employed as an occupational therapist by a survivor’s family ('The man who would not get out of bed'). This unique situation allowed the therapist to arrive at an understanding of the importance of occupation in brain injury rehabilitation.

There are also stories that come from an ethnography describing the work of carers carried out by the author: 'Stories of caring for someone with a severe brain injury'. All ethnography is informed by a wide range of literature and these stories are no different. You can read an analysis of some of this literature about in general, and care following brain injury in particular in 'A theoretical overview of caring for someone with a severe brain injury'.

The kind of care described here could never have happened if the carers did not have access to reasonable funding. How the carers got this funding and managed it is described in: 'Stories of funding for carers and people with severe brain injury'. New Zealand has some unique funding scenarios because of its now fault compensation system. A historical overview of this system can be read in: 'A brief overview of ACC for people with severe brain injury and their carers'.

The site also includes a list of useful links to resources which are related to all kinds of brain injury and also to occupational therapy. I am also developing a couple of blogs about care ethics, related to carers and occupational therapy. I hope that you enjoy this site and take the opportunity to respond with your own stories and experiences both of severe brain injury and of caring.

- Dr Mary Butler

Contact page

Stories of brain injury, care and funding

Stories of caring for someone with a severe brain injury (part 1)

Stories of caring for someone with a severe brain injury (part 2)

A theoretical overview of caring for someone with a severe brain injury

Stories of funding for carers and people with severe brain injury (New Zealand)

An overview of ACC for people with severe brain injury and their carers (New Zealand)

Bibliography and references for above pages

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The Man who would not get out of bed
Stories intro
Story 1 - The accident
Story 2 - The OT arrives
Story 3 - The CD rack
Story 4 - The troll
Story 5 - The door
Story 6 - At work
Story 7 - The letterbox
Story 8 - Employment