May 24, 2019 by Angela

Celebrate Summer Safely

ummer is almost here! School will be out soon and people everywhere will be enjoying vacations and outdoor recreation. Summer is also known as “trauma season” in the healthcare world due to the number of injuries that can happen during summertime activities. While this is true, there are easy things we can do to help reduce the risk of brain injury.

Here are just a few quick tips to help keep your loved ones safe while you enjoy some fun in the summer sun!

Wear a helmet.

Wear a properly fitted helmet when bicycling or engaging in any recreational activity that may result in a head injury. Although there is no “concussion-proof” helmet, a helmet is a must to help reduce the risk of a serious brain injury. After an accident, replace your helmet because it may not be as protective as it was prior to the accident. Visit the CDC’s web site for more helmet safety tips here.

Wear water safety gear and master water safety.

Whether in a pool or the ocean, wearing the appropriate water safety gear, like a life jacket, is critical to preventing injury. Make sure safety gear is well-fitted, worn correctly, and well-maintained. Always supervise children when in or around water. To reduce fall risk, discourage running near or around pools where the ground might be slippery with water. Teach kids to swim. Formal lessons can protect young children from drowning. Learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Your skills could save someone’s life! Get more “H2O Smart” Tips on the CDC’s web site here.

Ensure your home and backyard are safe.

Falls are a leading cause of concussion for both the young and the elderly. To reduce the risk of falls, ensure your home is well-lit and free of tripping hazards, such as electrical cords across walkways, loose rugs, or scattered toys. Consider blocking off stairways with safety gates and installing window guards. Check that outside play equipment is appropriate to the age of the children using it and that it has guardrails to prevent falls as well a soft material underneath, such as mulch or sand.

Be safe behind the wheel.

When you head out on your summer road trip, buckle up with a seatbelt and use age- and size-appropriate car seats that are properly installed for child passengers. The research is clear – belted passengers sustain fewer and less severe traumatic brain injuries compared to those who are unbelted. Find more child passenger safety here.

Be familiar with your surroundings.

When doing outdoor activities, like hiking, or engaging in any high risk sports or motor activities, make sure you are aware of the terrain you are about to encounter as well as your ability to navigate the terrain. Know the depth of water prior to diving into a pool or natural body of water. Always ensure a loved one knows exactly where you are and how to find you. Concussion can occur quickly and cause disorientation that can make it difficult to let others know you are in need of help.

Know the signs of a concussion and get treatment early.

A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury (TBI) caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or by a hit to the body that causes the head and brain to move rapidly back and forth. Signs and symptoms generally show up soon after the injury. However, unlike a broken leg, the signs of a concussion are often ‘invisible,’ such as a headache, disorientation, nausea, incoordination, and memory deficits.

Learn more about the symptoms at ConcussionSmartMarin.org so you can recognize them quickly.

September 26, 2018 by Angela

Strategies for Continued Improvement

Going home after a long stay in the hospital can be exciting. But it is important to note, recovery may not be complete when inpatient rehabilitation concludes.

You will have learned important strategies during inpatient rehabilitation that will help make the transition from institution to the community safe and successful. It is very important that these techniques be used consistently and reinforced regularly.

And although exciting, leaving the hospital can be challenging for a number of reasons. One of the less obvious reasons is the fact that often a survivor of brain injury feels that he will “be fine once I am home and in my own space.” The exact opposite may be the case. In a less familiar, more structured environment (like a hospital), individuals tend to be more attentive and aware of their surroundings. When a therapist or doctor is observing you, you tend to be focused on the approaches and techniques they taught you. The presence of a nurse, physician or therapist provides “cueing” even if nothing is said.

If the situation at home lacks structure and supervision or does not encourage carryover of the strategies taught during inpatient rehabilitation, there may be a slip back in function and possibly even safety issues.

Once an individual gets home after being hospitalized for a long period, the desire to continue therapy may diminish. Encouraging continued rehabilitative efforts may involve some cheerleading, but it is important that the process continue.

Recommended strategies for optimal performance and continued improvement after leaving the hospital:

Staying consistent with compensatory strategies

You or your loved one will have learned a number of compensatory strategies while in rehabilitation that need to be consistently maintained after leaving the hospital. This may include keeping a set schedule from which the survivor does not waiver. He may also need checklists to complete the morning routine or organizers to plan daily activities and schedule appointments. And it’s crucial that he avoids situations (typically identified during rehabilitation) that trigger undesirable reactions or behaviors. These can include places that are noisy, bright, crowded, hot or cold—or avoiding complex, unfamiliar or new tasks at times when the brain injured person is tired, hungry, hot or cold.

Rest

Regular rest breaks or naps should be a scheduled part of her day. She won’t need excessive sleep, but it’s important to make sure she has scheduled downtime every day. Inadequate sleep or rest can lead to undesirable behavior and/or decreased cognitive function.

Nutrition

Eating a healthy, balanced diet, with adequate fluid intake, is crucial to helping the brain-injured person function at maximal level. Ask your doctor about sugar, caffeine and alcohol use.

Exercise

Regular exercise and activity is an important part of every day. Keeping active is not only good for the body, but the mind and brain. The extent and type of the exercise should be cleared by your physician.

Social contacts, especially with brain-injured peers

Being with people is important for everybody. And for the brain injured individual, it’s particularly important to connect with others who have been through a similar experience. There are support groups, day treatment programs and adaptive courses—many available through local community colleges—that can provide a brain-injured person a structured way to be with other people.

Preventing a secondary injury

In order to prevent a secondary injury, it is important to monitor the brain-injured person’s behavior. She may need to be supervised when engaging in new, unpracticed activities. And, as noted above, she will need to avoid situations that may cause undesired behavior or reactions. She will need to avoid recreational drug and alcohol use.

Accessing answers to questions as they come up

The facility that discharged you home would be the first place to contact when questions arise. If they are unable to answer your questions, ask where they can refer you. This may well be a community based brain injury organization or a state level association. A great deal of general information is available on line.

More helpful information…

Brain Injury Information Handbook

This article is an excerpt from Schurig Center’s Brain Injury Information Handbook – a guide for patients and families from hospital to home. View and download your free copy of the handbook here for more helpful information to help you navigate the journey to recovery after a brain injury, concussion or stroke.

Resource Referral Assistance

You are not alone. We are here to help! Schurig Center is also pleased to offer referral resource assistance to help support you in your recovery process. Get more information about this service and access our online resource directory here.

August 3, 2017 by Angela

Volunteer Spotlight: Paul Miller

Artist Paul Miller leading drawing class photo

Paul leading an animal drawing class at Schurig Center’s Art Studio.

Schurig Center for Brain Injury Recovery has been fortunate to have Paul Miller share his talent and enthusiasm for art as a weekly volunteer in our Art Studio for many years.

Paul was the Marin Independent Journal’s editorial cartoonist in the late 1960’s, later was the editorial and sports cartoonist for the Novato Advance for most of the 1970’s, has done cover cartoons for the Pacific Sun, and worked as a cartoonist illustrator for the Tiburon Ark. He has also had cartoons published in the San Francisco Chronicle as an “Image to the Editor” contributor.

A former Marine and a UCLA graduate, Paul taught a cartooning course in the College of Marin’s Art Department, where he was a full time faculty member in the English and Communications Departments for four decades.

Paul’s paintings and drawings can be found in private collections throughout the United States and abroad in France, London, and India.

The community at Schurig Center is deeply grateful for Paul’s dedication and contribution made over many years. He is a Marin Country treasure who has truly enriched the lives of many. Thank you, Paul!

Self Portrait

During August 2017 at Marin Humane, animal drawings by Paul Miller will be on display for viewing along with original animal drawings and mixed media artwork created by artists in Schurig Center’s Art Studio under Paul’s instruction.