Traumatic Brain Injury

Use the Home Safety Checklist to do an informal assessment of the safety of your home. Your physical therapist and occupational therapist (PT/OT) will work with you to decide if you need to make safety modifications to your home. Talk to your PT or OT to learn about what other resources might be available through the VA.
Be sure to remove or secure items from your home that could result in harm to the service member or veteran with TBI. For example, keep car keys hidden if the service member or veteran is not cleared to drive.
Avoid keeping guns or other weapons in the house. Keep them in a locked container and in a secure place if they are in the home.
When your family member begins expanding their activities beyond the house, it is important that they carry personal identification at all times.
- Some may choose to continue wearing dog tags, but other forms of identification should be carried on his or her person, such as a medical alert bracelet or necklace. This will help ensure that all medical information is readily accessible to emergency medical personnel if it is needed.
A cell phone, programmed for voice activation, can be a lifeline for those who have trouble reading numbers or text.
Depending on the level of cognitive and functional ability, 24-hour care may be needed to ensure safety. Your family member will be evaluated for their ability to live alone, with or without help.
Ask the OT or PT to help with fall prevention around the home, especially if dizziness and balance are problems.
Removing clutter and simplifying your home environment can help a person with TBI. Clutter — too many things in the visual environment — can contribute to a sense of overstimulation.
Clutter raises the likelihood that there are things that your family member may trip over or bump into, especially if they are experiencing balance or visual and depth perception problems.
Be aware that sometimes after a TBI, the person can be sensitive to light and noise, and that too much stimulation in these areas can cause irritability, anxiety, and frustration.