The relatives of the brain-injured person are also directly affected by this disease, which has a great impact on the family environment. No family is prepared for brain injury, and the most frequent reactions range from shock, panic, denial, hope and reality, to relative acceptance and adjustment. Every brain injury illness causes a crisis within the family, with a change of roles and an alteration of the goals of that unit.
In a family system affected by this disease, we can locate the figure of the main caregiver, who through his care and work, makes it possible for the patient to continue living in the family environment. Due to the sacrifice and renunciation in many cases of their work, leisure activities or social life, the family and more specifically, the primary caregiver, must be helped and assisted.
Assistance to the family
Those who care for the person with brain damage feel that they always have to be available, and their life becomes a roller coaster of emotions. These family members must receive information, education and support to know how and when to act in such an adverse situation. In this assistance, forms of intervention such as training, involvement, counseling and family therapy are considered, through a series of guidelines to be followed to do the best for the patient at all times.
Support programs
The aim of these programs is to help families understand the consequences and changes that brain damage can generate. It consists of four steps.
The first one, meeting point, is a space for interactive information sessions. Here, various aspects related to disability are discussed. The relaxation workshop, on the other hand, teaches how to relax and reduce the emotional and physical tension involved in the situation. Finally, the psychoeducational group combines educational and therapeutic aspects, while the information and education groups raise awareness of the consequences of brain damage. All this with the aim of improving the quality of life of both the affected person and his or her family.