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MEMORY DIFFICULTIES
Your family member's memory problems may be confusing to you. Initially, he may not be able to recall any day-to-day information. As he recovers, he becomes more oriented. Day-to-day memory difficulties seem to resolve. He still may not be able to recall names of therapists, therapy schedules, or recent activities (such as eating, shaving, or talking with you), but he may recall past events, names, and facts with a great deal of accuracy (such as names of high school friends or the great time he had prom night). As he continues to recover, he may be able to recall immediate events and faces and names that occur on a consistent basis (such as therapists and nurses), but memory for incidental information (from surrounding environment) and specific detail (names, dates, times) may remain impaired for a considerable length of time or may never resolve. This inconsistency in memory functioning may be somewhat confusing to you as a family member, but it occurs frequently as one recovers from a head injury. In fact, it has been dubbed the "swiss cheese" memory by professionals, because some information "falls through the holes" and other information is retained. One of the most devastating effects on your family member is the
long-term memory difficulty. This difficulty affects his ability to learn new information,
such as may be needed in his job. Examples The following are examples of memory difficulties you may observe:
Management Techniques Memory deficits usually do not become resolved. Instead, your family member will need to learn compensatory techniques to function in the home and work environment. 1. Insist that your family member use a notebook as a memory aid. Encourage him to carry his "memory book" with him at all times. A commercial planner such as a Day Timer or Day Runner will be most helpful. Assist your family member in organizing information.5. The difficulties your family member has in the work setting will be frustrating for him. Be as supportive as possible. Maintain contact with the rehabilitation professional who is supervising the work reentry process. In that way, you will be aware of any difficulties in the work setting.
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