Are you finding it difficult to complete activities?
Are you feeling fatigued?
Do you find things take a long time to do?
Are you experiencing memory difficulties?
Do you forget or miss appointment or have difficulties remembering names?
Are you experiencing challenges making decisions?
Each person with brain injury is unique and the symptoms range from mild-severe.
Mild cognitive impairment may be caused by traumatic brain injury, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, concussion or vascular disease.
Here are five simple strategies to implement right away to support your cognition:
1. Write it down.
Writing information down supports memory, planning and organisation and can assist with everyday tasks.
Select a planner that best suits you. Is it small and portable? A wall calendar? Posted notes?
Whatever it is, writing down important information reduces cognitive and/or memory overload.
Get into the habit of writing things down including:
- Your medical appointments
- Lunch dates
- Deadlines
- Holidays
- Important birthdays
- Shopping list items
2. Pay attention to one thing at a time
Do you notice that you are often distracted when lots of things are happening at once?
Try and reduce your distractions when you are doing a specific task that requires a lot of attention.
For example, turn down the TV and find a quiet room to reduce cognitive overload.
3. Let people know what you want
We often try to push through our difficulties, to mask how we are feeling.
But letting others know what you want them to do actually assists them AND you!
Even 1 good strategy can make a difference.
Here are some strategies you may wish to ask your carer/loved one:
- “Don’t pretend. Please tell me if I am on the wrong track”
- “I need a break now”
- “Please slow down what you are saying”
- “Can you repeat that please?”
- “Can you stop testing me?”
- “Please face me when talking to me”
4. Plan!
When you know the tasks ahead, planning can help you successfully complete the activity and avoid cognitive fatigue and overload.
Organising your thoughts will support success.
For example, if you need to buy a birthday present for your sister, write down the steps you need to take to complete this task which may include; 1. Creating a list of potential gift ideas… 2. Selecting from 1 item etc.
Try to spend no more than 30 minutes on each specific step and avoid pushing yourself too much
…
Speech Pathologists are specifically trained to support cognitive and communication disorders.
No treatment plan is ever the same.
In some cases, intervention aids to prevent further deterioration, or in others, reverse impairment to improve brain functioning.
Some goals of cognitive therapy may include:
- Changing your environment to support daily functioning
- Implementing external supports to assist with everyday tasks
- Training memory strategies to support participation
- Train word-finding strategies
- Support communication partners on ways to help their loved ones engage and connect with others more meaningfully
All of our Speech Pathologists are dedicated to providing evidence-based therapy that will help you in your daily life.
Telehealth Speech Pathology aims to empower you to be the best version of yourself no matter what your goals, in the comfort of your home.
We will work with you to develop your unique, specialised plan and unlock your most powerful asset.