Brain injury rehabilitation critical to Connecticut recovery

Because the human brain is critical to normal daily functioning, any injury or trauma it suffers has the potential to make a Connecticut resident unable to do all the things we take for granted. Brain injuries can lead to memory loss, diminished motor reflexes and permanent impairment. Brain injury victims across the country, including many in Connecticut, also frequently suffer posttraumatic stress disorders, depression and anxiety.

If a brain injury victim is to recover, rehabilitation services are key. Medical advances have undergone something of a revolution in the last two decades, with care moving from a one-size-fits-all model to individual care options. Home and hospice rehabilitation is now common, increasing the need for state-aided social services.

Both victims and their families need to be carefully when choosing outside care facilities. The specific needs of each victim are different, so a facility should be chosen with an individual’s requirements in mind. Victims and their families also must be informed about how a rehabilitation or care plan will affect the victim’s long-term health. Rehabilitation professionals can usually direct families to the right care programs for individual victims.

Families should be sure to investigate a health-care plan that will cover the rehabilitation program. Connecticut provides many rehabilitation programs for brain injury victims. Some of the most severely injured victims may need several different state aid programs to cover the costs of their recuperation.

Medical care for severely injured victims is expensive. The family of a victim may find it worthwhile to talk with legal professionals in order to help them find the finances to pay for such treatment. If the brain injury was the result of negligence on the part of another person, then financial compensation may be available through a personal injury lawsuit against that person to cover the costs of medical care.

Source: BIAUSA.org, “A guide to selecting and monitoring brain injury rehabilitation services,” Mary S. Reitter, accessed on Jan. 27, 2015