Caring for an ailing loved one is often one of the most emotional and demanding experiences that an individual can face. Seventy-six percent of the estimated 54 million caregivers nationwide say isolation is their #1 source of stress. The support group is a great place to help reduce that source of stress.
The best piece of advice that we can give is also probably the most difficult to follow through on. That advice is to take time for yourself. You really do need to take care of yourself because the challenges are constant. There are ongoing stresses like fighting with the insurance companies, finding and keeping a good cadre of therapists, dealing with all of the medical complications that come with a brain injury. Other stresses will come and go such as depression and more. At the support group we have fun and laugh. Laughing is good medicine. Come and see.
To read some of the support group Caregiver Stories Click Here.
6 responses so far ↓
LISA YESBEK // October 14, 2007 at 5:20 pm |
Western Maryland Hospital Center
File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat – View as HTML
Western Maryland Hospital Center (WMHC) is a specialty healthcare ….. accident, stroke, brain or neuromuscular injury and need time for healing and …
http://www.wc-link.org/wmhc/handbook.pdf
JUST A F.Y.I. NEW BRAIN INJURY HOSPITAL -WESTERN MD .HOSPITAL,HARGERSTOWN, Md.
LISA YESBEK // October 14, 2007 at 5:26 pm |
Brain Injury Support through MSN. Groups to interact with on- msn.
should be a wolf on main pape (HOME).
Just another F.Y.I. For Support viva Internet chat or just info. Free to sign up. (:) – Lisa
LISA YESBEK // October 14, 2007 at 5:30 pm |
braininjurysupport@groups.msn.com
Donny Keys // November 25, 2007 at 11:37 pm |
I think everyone should be proud of how this group is developing. I want the support group to never forget why we come in the first place, to help each other. Survivors and caregivers must continue to encourage discussion of the problems of TBI, for there may be new attendees who are not interested in “business affairs”, but are there for help and guidance, as are the present members. We should provide a place for them to express their concerns and hopefully find comfort in returning and contributing to the meetings. This applies to present members, as we all know that TBI is a demanding and changing situation. We all need suport from each other, both survivors and caregivers, to help us through these sometimes difficult times. When we feel good about ourselves, we can help so much more. So ,congragulations to everyone for establishing a worthwhile organization that will be available to those in need.
Thanks for your help with Cindy and myself since 2004,
Donny
Melissa // March 14, 2009 at 11:47 pm |
Hi,
I just found this site and it is filled with great information. I am the sister of a person with a TBI…my partner and I have been caregivers for my brother since the fall of 08. He has had alot of instability in the 10 years since his accident and while we have gotten him a nice place to live and all of the services he needs, it is still very difficult for us to work with him on taking his meds on a regular basis, keeping to his schedule, etc. He gets depressed, angry, and violent and I think that it is time that we start looking at group living/supported living situations for him. Does anyone have information on this? We live in Baltimore MD. I saw that there is a support group here (a few) which is wonderful..do you think that I should start there? He is 29 years old now. It’s getting more and more difficult for us to get him to do basic things…he needs constant reminders and supervision for a lot of things. We think that he needs a place where there is more social interaction with folks similar to him and a place that has someone giving him his meds when he needs them and keeping him on a schedule.
thanks so much and I’m so glad that I found you. Melissa
David // March 15, 2009 at 7:00 pm |
Baltimore has some of the best support groups in the state. I would start by going to the Maryland Brain Injury association. I think the link is http://www.biamd.org.