Interrupted
Lives: Rehabilitation and learning following brain injury
Table
of contents
Acknowledgments
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER
1: CONCEPTS AND OBJECTIVES: DEVELOPING UNDERSTANDING AND SUPPORT
Introduction. The beginning: coma and brain injury. Awareness stimulation.
Recovery and plasticity. Severity of injury: post-traumatic amnesia. Concussion
and minor brain injury. Interventions and assessment. Dynamic assessment.
Conclusion.
CHAPTER
2: NEUROLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS AND FUNCTIONAL SYSTEMS: ‘IT’S NOT
ALL OR NOTHING’
Introduction. Professional and lay perceptions. Development and redistribution
of skills. Neuroimaging and observations. The brain and nervous system.
Bridging the gap. Brain complexity and versatility. The first functional
unit: the brain stem. The second functional unit. The third functional
unit. Frontal lobe function. Primary, secondary and tertiary zones. Connections
within and between zones and functional units. Communities and cortical
zones. Diaschisis. Conclusion.
CHAPTER
3: STRUCTURE AND ERRORLESS LEARNING: THE BASIS FOR REHABILITATION
Introduction. Fundamental questions. Processing information. Mastery learning.
Phases of learning. Structure of learning. Evidence of behaviour. Manageable
levels and sequencing. General and specific objectives. Types of learning.
Conclusion.
CHAPTER
4: ORIENTATION: SETTING THE SCENE
Introduction. Definitions. Orientation difficulties. Strength of stimuli.
Signalling systems and orientation. Conclusion.
CHAPTER
5: ATTENTION: ENGAGING THE BRAIN
Introduction. Active and passive attending. Sequences. Cueing. Mechanisms
of attending. Binding and attending. Controlled and automatic attending.
Activation and attending. Hierarchical attending processes. Localisation
of damage. Brain damage and attending difficulties. Attention and reaction
times. Distractions. Interests and needs. Attention and rehabilitation.
Conclusion.
CHAPTER
6: MEMORY SYSTEMS: THE GLUE OF MENTAL LIFE
Introduction. Learning, remembering and forgetting. Amnesia and redeveloping
memory. Short-term memory and long-term memory. Sensory input. Cueing
and retrieval. Temporal stages of memory. Memory and awareness. Verbal
and non-verbal memory. Functional memory difficulties. Assessment of memory.
Rehabilitation of memory. Factors influencing memory loss. Summary of
strategies for developing memory. Conclusion.
CHAPTER
7: LANGUAGE: THE BUSINESS OF COMMUNICATING
Introduction. Language components of the brain. Visual and auditory building
blocks. Auditory processing. Lateralisation of language. Spatial abilities
and language. Physical and social activities. Voice and music. Language
and speech representation. Personnel. Language and thinking. Language
maintenance. Categorisation of language difficulties and interventions.
Exchanging information and reducing confusion. Symbolic and nonsymbolic
confusion. Selecting forms of communication. Sequencing and language routines.
Total communication. Psychological adjustment and language. Potential
and difficulties. Effective communication. Conclusion.
CHAPTER
8: EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS: CREATING OPPORTUNTIES
Introduction. Phineas Gage. Frontal lobes and cognition. Planning and
consciousness. Communities within the community. Learning following frontal
lobe damage. Commenting on one’s own activity. Frontal lobe damage.
Conclusion.
CHAPTER
9: EMOTIONS AND PERSONALITY: SIGNIFICANT ISSUES
Introduction. Emotion networks. Personality change and emotional difficulties.
Wellbeing. Temperament and character. Pathways and emotions. Learning
from experience. Pre-existing traits and post-trauma behaviours. Variations
in mood. Consciousness and emotion. Motivation and emotion. Conscious
awareness. Depression and personality change. Interventions. Conclusion.
CHAPTER
10: PROBLEM SOLVING: TAPPING THE RESERVOIR
Introduction. Physical, emotional, and cognitive components. Physical
guidance and broad tuning. Emotions and motivation. Input and output systems.
Introspection and support. Awareness and cognition. Getting started. Familiar
and novel experiences. Connections and awareness. Phases of problem solving.
Difficulties in problem solving. Written programs. Brain damage location
and problem-solving difficulties. Reasoning and concept formation. Types
of thinking and problem solving. Conclusion.
CHAPTER
11: TRANSITION TO EMPLOYMENT: REGAINING STATUS
Introduction. Rationale. Sample and Transition process. Key issues in
transition to employment. Training and job placement. Evaluation of skills.
Conclusion.
CHAPTER
12: COMMUNITY REHABILITATION: HAVING A VISION
Introduction. Protection. Making contact. Family love. Positive identity.
Full inclusion: determining factors. Community rehabilitation. Rebuilding
the personal self. Building bridges. Signs and symbols. Mentors. Coping
and learning. Humanness and rehabilitation. Action: preparation and needs.
Outcomes.
Conclusion.
Glossary
Bibliography
Index