Relearning for Daily Life
Part of recovery and life after a brain injury may include relearning skills, using reminders, and developing workarounds for what the brain may not be doing (whether temporary or life-long). Below are a few resources and possibilities.
See also the Managing Daily Life section for helpful tools and ideas.
Cognitive Retraining
See also the Services section below for local rehab assistance services.
- Brain Book® http://www.brainbook.com/
The Brain Book system is a complete, home-based cognitive retraining program for brain injury (TBI and ABI) survivors. This system helps maximize cognitive function by helping to acquire compensatory skills.
- Brain Train http://www.brain-train.com/
Brain Train offers a multitude of computer programs for cognitive retraining and vocational readiness. Packages are reasonably priced and must be paid in advance. They also offer a couple of freeware/shareware games downloadable from their site.
- Home-Based Cognitive Stimulation Program http://main.uab.edu/show.asp?durki=49377
This helpful program “provides activities to use with individuals following their brain injury. These activities are designed to assist the individual in recovery of their thinking skills.” Available online or downloadable provided by the Traumatic Brain Injury Care System, University of Alabama, generously supported by a grant from the NIDDR.
- Parrot Software http://www.parrotsoftware.com/
Available online for monthly Internet subscription and individual programs also available for purchase, Parrot Software provides a large assortment of treatment and rehab software for aphasia, stroke, Alzheimer's, head injuries, and more.
Recommended Books
See TBI Resources' Books section for more.
In association with
Help Support the TBI Resources site.
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Living with a Brain Injury
Online information devoted to helping your daily life with a brain injury.
- Brain Connection: The Brain and Learning http://www.brainconnection.com/
An entire website devoted to the brain. Learn all about the brain, learning, testing, brain and neurological disorders and learning solutions, brain teasers, an education section, a section for professionals, and more.
- Life Skills for Vocational Success http://www.workshopsinc.com/manual/
An exceptionally well done free online curriculum for relearning many day-to-day daily living, working, socializing skills and more. Printed copies are also available via the site. The site is funded by a grant from the Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services. Excellent resource!
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Living with ADD/ADHD
It is not unusual to have symptoms of ADD/ADHD and other challenges as the result of a brain injury. Below are articles, tips, and entire sites devoted to this disorder but can also be helpful for understanding learning challenges and brain injuries.
Articles, Tips
- 50 Tips on the
Management of Adult ADD http://www.enteract.com/~peregrin/add/50tips.html
Helpful tips that make sense for anyone, but especially those with ADD. By Edward M. Hallowell, M.D. and John J. Ratey, M.D.
- Adult ADD: Structure - Practical Strategies for Coping http://www.addresources.com/guide.htm#STRATEGIES
Helpful, practical ideas for daily living with ADD, including using a timer, planning your time, structuring your environment, and more. By ADDResources.com.
- Computers and ADD http://www.ncpamd.com/ComputersAndADD.htm
Good article about how computers can help with ADD. By Carol Watkins, MD.
- Finding Success in the Workplace For ADD/LD Adults http://www.adhdsandiego.org/addjob.html
A very inspiring and well written article. Discusses strategies to successfully cope with ADD/LD on the job, employer accommodations, ADA Guidelines, disclosure and advocacy, positive ADD/LD attributes for successful employment, and resources. By Dr. Amy Ellis, May, 2001, at ADHDSanDiego.org.
- How to Organize and Pay Your Bills: A Simple System http://www.ncpamd.com/organize_mail_bills.htm
Good instructions and visual chart showing a simple system for handling bills, from checking the mail to filing records. Written with ADD people in mind and helpful for brain injuries, too. By Glenn Brynes, Ph.D., M.D.
- List of Adult ADD Support Groups http://www.add.org/content/group/list.htm
Helpful listing with addresses, phone numbers, websites in the U.S. and Canada. By the ADDA.
- Nutrition and ADD http://www.borntoexplore.org/nutrition.htm
Very helpful, interesting article about the role of diet, nutrition, food allergies, supplements, the role of specific kinds of fatty acids, and much more.
- Problem-Solving Worksheet http://adhdnews.com/ws.htm
Well done printable worksheet to help you problem-solve. By ADHDNews.com.
- Women With ADD: Tips For Managing Your Home and Keeping Your Sanity http://add.about.com/library/weekly/aa012002.htm
Helpful tips for dealing with ADD, including setting priorities, creating an ADD-friendly environment, the importance of humor, educating those around you, and more.
- Women and ADD: ADD in the Workplace, Juggling the Dual Responsibilities of Home and Work http://www.addvance.com/resources/Articles/ADDwrk.htm
Insightful article about women juggling home and work, the difficulties in maintaining a home with ADD, and more. By ADDvance.com, a resource for women and girls with ADD.
Sites Devoted to Living with ADD/ADHD
- ADD in Adults http://www.addult.org/
An entire website devoted to ADD in adults. Lots of articles and tips, living daily life, listing of ADD coaches and other professionals, support groups, a journal, booklet, and more. Excellent information.
- Attention Deficit Disorder http://add.about.com/
About.com's terrific section on ADD. Find articles, tips, the latest news and research, ADD coaches, and a huge repository of helpful links to more information.
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Memory Help
The Managing Daily Life section has ideas for computer software, PDAs (handhelds), reminder tools, planners and organizers, organizing helps, and more.
- Tools for Improving Your Memory http://www.mindtools.com/pages/main/newMN_TIM.htm
An excellent series of articles by Mindtools.com to help you learn how to use and improve your memory. Tools include how to remember short lists, long lists, ordered lists, grouped lists, remembering numbers, using concept maps and instructional aids, and more, using techniques such as The Alphabet Technique, The Link Method and The Story Method, the Number/Shape Mnemonic, the Number/Rhyme Mnemonic, and more. By Mindtools.com.
- Memory Strategies http://www.headinjury.com/memorystrat.html
A helpful checklist for people with brain injuries with points on how to manage memory problems in daily life. Provided by the Head Injury Hotline website.
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Relearning Daily Life Tasks
Bill Paying
- How to Organize and Pay Your Bills: A Simple System http://www.ncpamd.com/organize_mail_bills.htm
Good instructions and visual chart showing a simple system for handling bills, from checking the mail to filing records. Written with ADD people in mind and helpful for brain injuries, too. By Glenn Brynes, Ph.D., M.D.
Laundry
- Mrs. Stewart's® On-Line Home Washing Guide http://www.mrsstewart.com/pages/msbprep.htm
Easy-to-understand guide all about doing the laundry - pre-sorting, preparing, pre-treating, loading the washer, pre-soaking, and more. This article is one of a series all about how to do laundry - laundry safety, washing, drying, ironing, stain removal guide, care label guide, laundry products, and more. Very well done.
Time Management Skills
See also the Managing Daily Life section for software, reminder tools, daily planners, and more to help with time management.
- Time Management Skills - Making the most of your time http://www.mindtools.com/pages/main/newMN_HTE.htm
Another excellent series of articles by Mindtools.com, this one to help you learn or improve your time management skills. Learn how to prioritize, keep activity logs, action planning, prioritized To Do lists, goal setting, and more. By Mindtools.com.
- Using a Day Planner as a Life Planner http://www.addvance.com/resources/Articles/dayplanner.htm
Insightful article about using a daily planner effectively, learning how to set priorities, problem-solve, assigning times and evaluating how long each appointment or item on a ToDo list will take, and more. By Kathleen Nadeau, Ph.D. for ADDvance.com.
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Services
- Learning Services http://www.learningservices.com/index.html
Over 40 program locations across America for people with brain injuries, providing supported living options, learning services, continuing education, research, and more.
- Rehab Without Walls® http://gentiva.com/rww/
Gentiva's Rehab Without Walls® provides home and community-based neurorehabilitation services for traumatic brain injury, cerebrovascular accidents, and more. They have specialists to fit your specific needs and will work with you in your own environment. Offices located throughout the U.S.
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Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Resources - http://tbiresources.com/relearn/