The document discusses brain injury and its vocational implications. It covers demographics of brain injury, types of brain injury such as traumatic brain injury and acquired brain injury, levels of injury, common problems after injury, and factors affecting recovery and employment. Each member of an interdisciplinary rehabilitation team helps patients return to work through assessments, accommodations, cognitive strategies, and addressing injury-related impairments.

1. Brain Injury & Vocational Implications Greg Meyer, CBIS, LCSW

16. Acquired Brain Injury An acquired brain injury is an injury to the brain, which is not hereditary, congenital, degenerative, or induced by birth trauma. An acquired brain injury is an injury to the brain that has occurred after birth .

21. Cerebral Hemispheres Left: verbal functions including language, thought, memory involving words Right: Nonverbal functions such as recognizing differences in visual patters, reading maps, music, expression and understanding emotions

39. Predictor Factors for Returning to Work (Sander, Kreutzer, Rosenthal et al., 1996) Injury Severity (Persons with more severe injuries are more likely to be unemployed) Duration of Coma Length of Hospitalization Scores on Functional Independence Scales at Rehabilitation Admission and Discharge Performance on Neuropsychologic Tests History of Alcohol Abuse Amount of Education (The more education the better the vocational outcome ) Age (Persons above age 45 are less likely to return to work following a TBI)

41. Examples of Compensatory strategies Possible Intervention Cognitive Challenge Keep a schedule or checklist of work tasks necessary to complete. Check-off completed items. Self-monitoring Depending on the task, use a decision table or chart to solve recurring problems Problem-Solving Use a tape recorder to remember information provided in presentations or meetings. Take notes. Summarize information. Organize notes. Memory Follow established, set process, organized checklist or schedule for completing certain tasks. Do one thing at a time. Organization Provide orientation to written documents or screens/fields on a computer screen Visual Perceptual Process Ask for clarification and step by step instructions when necessary. Present new information slowly Attention/Concentration Keep a calendar for appointment, to-do lists, checklist, phone #’s etc. Orientation

42. Examples of Environmental Modifications or Accommodations Possible Intervention Cognitive Challenge Keep a checklist of tasks that need to be completed daily Self-monitoring Identify staff as resource people to help solve certain problems (natural supports). Plan and structure each day. Problem-Solving Use a planner pad/appointment book to track meetings, goals and “to do” lists Memory Use graphics, checklists or charts to outline essential job functions. Keep files Organization Use high contrast materials to complete certain tasks Visual Perception Process Minimize distractions through noise control or visual barriers Attention/Concentration Organize work materials or set up in a consistent manner. Keep a calendar with schedule and daily tasks Orientation