My MIL had this issue 20 yrs ago and spent months in the hospital before she was allowed to move. She then had to learn to move very slowly for months more as her brain continued to heal. It was very very difficult for her as she was a real gogetter. Patience and time is what will heal. She regained a normal life - slowing to a normal person's rate for 20 yrs then had brain cancer- supposedly not related to previous aneurysm. I also dealt with assisting a man at work going thru brain cancer. Both these ppl had brain operations.
All you can do is encourage peace and relaxation. The brain will heal itself but it is a very slow process. Let him do the simple things that come automatically to him. Never push him mentally. he will want to push himself and that is the worst thing he can do. He needs to learn that he cannot rush this process. It's not like a muscle that he can work to make it stronger. Brains healing are a different thing.
With his bills, try suggesting that he open envelopes one time,then walk away from the pile. Later, return to it and get out his checkbook, then walk away from it. Break it down into steps and suggest he walk away from it in between steps. Give him a checklist of what to do so when he does it, he checks it off and then knows to walk away.
Repeat often that you understand that this change is very frustrating and difficult for him but that his worrying and being upset makes his brain work harder and then it doesn't heal as fast.
The brain requires relaxation to heal. They are now realizing this with concussions.
An 87 yr old is also dealing with his mortality. it's not pretty. I used to tell my dad that unless he suddenly became a member of the Indian tribe that could will itself to die, that he had to deal with the health issues he was facing and live with what God wanted for him because that was the way things were. That usually toned down his frustrations for a while.
http://www.brainline.org/resources/site_map.php
All you can do is encourage peace and relaxation. The brain will heal itself but it is a very slow process. Let him do the simple things that come automatically to him. Never push him mentally. he will want to push himself and that is the worst thing he can do. He needs to learn that he cannot rush this process. It's not like a muscle that he can work to make it stronger. Brains healing are a different thing.
With his bills, try suggesting that he open envelopes one time,then walk away from the pile. Later, return to it and get out his checkbook, then walk away from it. Break it down into steps and suggest he walk away from it in between steps. Give him a checklist of what to do so when he does it, he checks it off and then knows to walk away.
Repeat often that you understand that this change is very frustrating and difficult for him but that his worrying and being upset makes his brain work harder and then it doesn't heal as fast.
The brain requires relaxation to heal. They are now realizing this with concussions.
An 87 yr old is also dealing with his mortality. it's not pretty. I used to tell my dad that unless he suddenly became a member of the Indian tribe that could will itself to die, that he had to deal with the health issues he was facing and live with what God wanted for him because that was the way things were. That usually toned down his frustrations for a while.
http://www.brainline.org/resources/site_map.php
I am a 911 dispatcher so I have to move at light speed at work sometimes and am just used to getting stuff done as quickly as possible. I know that upsets him so I have to consciously slowwww downnnn when we are doing his bills. Thats okay tho I need to slow down anyway and rest my own brain.
