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Read more about the article To Talk or Not to Talk About: End of Life, A Good Death Part 1
End of Life: Fisheye view by Chris Scott
Life Changes After Brain Injury / Social and emotional changes / Strategies Approaches and Support

To Talk or Not to Talk About: End of Life, A Good Death Part 1

The time leading up to the end of life - after brain injury - or at any time, is a topic one should maybe leave alone. I want to talk about it. I believe we should all talk about it. I know it is thought to be a private subject, yet what happens at the end of our life while very personal, is also universal. We can easily forget end of life can happen at any age, not just old age. And one day it has to happen to all of us.  So why not talk about it. I have always believed it needs to be talked about more openly and naturally. My own experience, early in 2014, when my father was dying made this even more important for me. So here, and for the next 2 weeks I am sharing my own thoughts, and resources I have discovered. My hope is to encourage more natural and fear-less discussion about end of life and…

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March 25, 2015
Brain Injury / Brain Injury Outcomes / Starting Out

10 Favourite Brain Injury Posts – An Anniversary Selection

Happy Anniversary Changed Lives New Journeys – it is two years and 110 posts since I began writing this blog, about brain injury. I thought I would choose a random selection of 10 favourite posts about brain injury from the past two years. The following are chosen for a range of reasons which I will try and summarise below:   1.  A Space Known as Liminal and Traumatic Brain Injury. This article was one I really enjoyed from idea to publishing. From research to writing. It also drew more comment and conversation than any other post.    2.  “I’m So Tired My Brain Hurts” Cognitive Fatigue. Cognitive fatigue has been the topic that has drawn the most interest and comment. And it continues to do so.      3.  Storytelling and Storylistening: Brain Injury Through Stories Through researching this article I was able to share a little about how I can follow ideas and end up in a very different place to…

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March 18, 2015
Read more about the article 40 Brain Believe It or Nots! Fascinating Facts About the Brain
Brain and Function

40 Brain Believe It or Nots! Fascinating Facts About the Brain

  40 strange and fascinating facts about the brain. Designed to excite your interest in the most fascinating organ we own. These facts about the brain just might one day come in handy for you: - at trivia nights, - to liven up boring dinner conversations - impress onlookers with your superb knowledge - or just to help understanding of the brain. Remembering that anything to do with the brain can change as we keep discovering more. So 'facts' that may or may not be exactly that … facts! These facts also provide insights into the complexity of the brain and its function.   What Do Fascinating Facts About the Brain Have to Do With Brain Injury? [unordered_list style="tick"] It reminds us how AMAZING our brain is. Which hopefully reminds us to look after it These many and random facts can help us understand the amount the brain controls; which is everything we do – physical, sensory, emotional, cognitive and more It reinforces how…

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March 4, 2015
Read more about the article I Didn’t See That Coming! Challenging Behaviour After Brain Injury.
Behaviour changes / Brain Injury Outcomes / Strategies Approaches and Support

I Didn’t See That Coming! Challenging Behaviour After Brain Injury.

How do you manage sudden or escalating challenging behaviour after brain injury, or any time? Damage to the brain, for example the frontal lobe, can sometimes cause changes in behaviour after brain injury. Sometimes this results in behaviour that challenges supporters and people around. It can also result in behaviour that is unpredictable.   Even with an agreed behaviour plan in place; sudden, explosive or escalating behaviour can still occur. This will often need immediate support and management from family, supporters, or people who are close by.   It can be difficult to respond quickly and effectively when you are taken aback by the behaviour, you are in a public space, it is a behaviour you find difficult to tolerate it is something you have not managed before.   Responding To Immediate Challenging Behaviours When you are with a person who has unpredictable challenging behaviours, the likelihood of needing a strategy ‘on the run’ to call on in emergency situations is high.…

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February 25, 2015
Read more about the article Creating a Mask: Soldiers, Trauma and Brain Injury
Mask-making Soldiers Trauma and Brain Injury
Strategies Approaches and Support / Strengths based

Creating a Mask: Soldiers, Trauma and Brain Injury

Masks have been used in many cultures and throughout history for protection, theatre, disguise. This is about soldiers creating art - masks - to help understand their trauma and brain injury.   I do not quite know how to describe the moment I opened the envelope and saw “Healing Soldiers” the cover of the February 2015 National Geographic magazine. It was a moment that stopped me, taking my breath away. A posed photograph of a USA Marine Gunnery Sergeant in full uniform: standing, holding a mask he had created after his own trauma and brain injury. A powerful article on using creativity, art, and the impact it is having on trauma and brain injury in soldiers. It is powerful, positive, touching, sad, creative ... I could go on.   I encourage you to explore the article for yourself:   [button link="http://www.nationalgeographic.com/healing-soldiers/index.html" size="large" style="info" color="silver" window="yes"]Behind the Mask: Revealing the Trauma of War[/button]   Creating Masks - More About Soldiers With Trauma and Brain…

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February 18, 2015
Read more about the article “Learning to Say Maleesh” – Brain Injury is Not The Whole Story
Learning to Say Maleesh by Rebecca Viney
Brain Injury Outcomes

“Learning to Say Maleesh” – Brain Injury is Not The Whole Story

An Interview with Rebecca Viney, 25th September 2014 A meeting with  Rebecca Viney whose most recent creative achievement is to author a book “Learning To Say Maleesh” led me face the learning curve and bring audio recording to Changed Lives New Journeys . Bec is a multi-talented woman who featured in an article A Pink Bunny, Creativity, and Brain Injury focussing on a small number of people I knew who had explored a range of creative paths . It was (and is) my intention to bring interviews with each of those creative people to you.  The hiccup and time delay has been my need to learn audio stuff. Today I bring you my first attempt at interviewing live, transcribing and audio editing. Bec agreed to be the  first. Forgive me if the editing here is somewhat clumsy I hope to build on my skills with time!   Our Interview About "Learning To Say Maleesh", Life and Brain Injury   So I’ll go through the questions and you just answer…

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February 11, 2015
Read more about the article Diagnosis of Dementia: Reflections from Anne Deveson
Diagnosis of Dementia Photo of Anne Deveson Wikipedia Dman41689
Cause and Incidence / Life Changes After Brain Injury

Diagnosis of Dementia: Reflections from Anne Deveson

I have just read an interview with Anne Deveson on her recent diagnosis of brain injury – more specifically Alzheimer's Disease. Anne describes an approach to a diagnosis of dementia that contains hope and strength, not just the devastation one might expect. It linked to a question that occupies my thinking -  how would I respond in a similar situation? Anne is  a person who has influenced my thinking over the years. A strong, articulate advocate on a wide range of social justice issues. I see that again now as she publicly describes her responses to her diagnosis of dementia. It provides a potential answer to my own question. Firstly quotes from Anne about her diagnosis from a recent interview, and a brief introduction to her work.   Reflections on a Diagnosis of Dementia The following reflections are quotes from ‘National treasure Anne Deveson faces up to Alzheimer's diagnosis” by Fenella Souter in The Age Good Weekend January 13th 2015 [button link="http://www.theage.com.au/good-weekend/national-treasure-anne-deveson-faces-up-to-alzheimers-diagnosis-20150130-12mpwo.html" size="large" style="info" color="silver"…

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February 4, 2015
Read more about the article 7 Starting Points to Embrace Difference
Embrace Difference Stella Young Image by Jean-Jacques Halans
Strategies Approaches and Support

7 Starting Points to Embrace Difference

Confession time … I don’t like the word “inclusion”. I don’t like the term “special” when it is used to separate people "special needs". I don’t even like “awareness weeks”. Oh and I am not really fussed about “embrace difference” but I have used it today owing to a lack of imagination on my part! I believe all of these terms can give people opportunity to reinforce difference, separation, exclusion from life. These words can mean talk but not a lot of action. Talk without real change. I discovered similar points, though much better put, when listening to an interview with Stella Young (link below) from ABC radio in Australia. Why Talk About 'Embrance Difference'? My listening to the interview with Stella, happened at the time of a siege in Sydney, Australia. This also brought out the best (and worst) of the fear of difference. One of the best embodied in the #I'llridewithyou movement begun at this time by one young woman,…

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January 28, 2015
Read more about the article A Space Known as Liminal and Traumatic Brain Injury.
Image by Chris Scott
Life Changes After Brain Injury

A Space Known as Liminal and Traumatic Brain Injury.

Liminal and Traumatic Brain Injury. Moon Image from Zyntara I have learnt a new word: “Liminal”. It fascinated me because it seemed relevant to brain injury. I saw a link between the word liminal and traumatic brain injury. Let me fill you in on what happened: In Tasmania, Australia, each year there is a festival over winter solstice called Dark MOFO. The festival has many of the challenging, quirky, and wonderful works the museum MONA, - (Museum of Old and New Art) in Tasmania, Australia - is known for.  Including a nude solstice swim in a freezing ocean. I was listening to Book and Arts Daily an Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) program that attended Dark MOFA. The host Michael Cathcart was interviewing composer, Nick Tsiavos. You can listen to the full interview here:   [button link="http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/booksandartsdaily/nick-tsiavos/5542712" size="small" style="tick" color="silver" text="dark" window="yes"]Nick Tsiavos Talking About Liminal[/button] What's This Got To Do With Liminal? The interview began: “It's midnight on the winter solstice. In the…

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January 21, 2015
Read more about the article Brain Injury: A Few Short Lessons Learned
Image by hisk at RGBstock.com
Brain Injury Outcomes / Strategies Approaches and Support

Brain Injury: A Few Short Lessons Learned

  Writing an article for a newsletter early in 2014 coincided with the realisation I have been working alongside people with brain injury and their families for over 25 years! I was asked to submit an article to a Newsletter prepared by the Senior Masters Office in Melbourne, Australia for their many beneficiaries. This request also came at a time when my father’s condition deteriorated after years of living with Dementia. I wrote  IMAGINE, about thoughts I had when Dad died in April 2014.   What follows is a reprint of the article originally published in the Senior Masters Office. You can also see this in the Newsletter along with other information published by the Senior Masters Office. A Few Short Lessons Learned About Brain Injury My father has advanced dementia, as I sat with him recently I thought about what an extraordinary organ the brain is. It can help us achieve incredible things. Yet it can also cause all sorts of…

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January 14, 2015