TBI Caregiver Curriculum: A collaboration in progress

1. TBI Caregiver Curriculum: A collaboration in progress Traci Adair, TBI/MH Program Manager and TBI Grant Director Washington State Aging and Disability Services Administration Cheryl Sanders, Executive Director Oregon Home Care Commission Leah Eskenazi, California Family Caregiver Resource Center

2. Washington State’s TBI Caregiver CurriculumTBI: Strategies for Surviving and Thriving • Why this training? • Needs assessment in 2004-05 identified training as a major gap in services • ADSA has specialty trainings for Mental Health and Dementia, not for TBI • Who is the main audience? • Paid and Unpaid direct caregivers • State agency staff • How did the curriculum develop? • Worked with contractor who is a TBI survivor to develop draft curriculum • Held 4 Stakeholder round tables to develop framework, content, • Sent draft to stakeholders for feedback: survivors, caregivers, providers • Video taped survivors and their caregivers (editing in progress) • Where/When will the training be available? • Projected roll-out: Jan-April 2008; statewide roll out with options to provide in neighboring states or offer as groundwork for other state’s projects TBI Caregiver Curriculum

3. Washington State’s TBI Caregiver CurriculumTBI: Strategies for Surviving and Thriving What you will learn • The course is presented in five modules. • Accompanying DVD to use that will provide examples and additional materials for each module. • Module 1 – Overview of Traumatic Brain Injury • How traumatic brain injury (TBI) is different from other kinds of brain disease • Why there is growing recognition of TBI as a major problem in our communities • Factors that affect recovery and why there is new hope for survivors of TBI and their families TBI Caregiver Curriculum

4. Washington State’s TBI Caregiver CurriculumTBI: Strategies for Surviving and Thriving Module 2 – The Brain: How it Functions Before and After a TBI • The major parts and functions of the brain and why no two people with a brain injury are the same • How a brain injury to each part of the brain may affect a person • Strategies for dealing with the changes that may be a result of a brain injury TBI Caregiver Curriculum

5. Washington State’s TBI Caregiver CurriculumTBI: Strategies for Surviving and Thriving Module 3 – Physical and Cognitive Changes and TBI: How to Help • Physical changes that may result from a brain injury, including motor skills, communication, the senses, pain, seizures, and sleep • Cognitive changes that may result from a brain injury, including memory, processing information, attention and concentration, reasoning, planning, and initiating actions • Specific ways to help with common physical, sensory, and thinking problems that may occur with TBI • How to help and tips on caregiving TBI Caregiver Curriculum

6. Washington State’s TBI Caregiver CurriculumTBI: Strategies for Surviving and Thriving Module 4– Challenges in Caregiving: Emotional and Behavioral Changes and TBI • Emotional and behavioral changes that may be a result of TBI • The A-B-C technique for helping with behavior • When it’s more than the TBI, including conditions before and following the TBI • How to help and tips that address strategies for dealing with challenging behaviors that supports the person’s strengths TBI Caregiver Curriculum

7. Washington State’s TBI Caregiver CurriculumTBI: Strategies for Surviving and Thriving Module 5 – Supporting Recovery • Four general guidelines that support any adult who is recovering from a TBI • Strategies that help to create a supportive, safe environment • Tips that apply to caregiving, managing stress, and making health a priority for both the adult with a TBI and the caregiver TBI Caregiver Curriculum

8. Washington State’s TBI Caregiver CurriculumTBI: Strategies for Surviving and Thriving Examples from Curriculum TBI Caregiver Curriculum

9. Professional Providers TBI Caregiver Curriculum

10. Family Caregivers and Survivors TBI Caregiver Curriculum