For individuals finding it difficult or impossible to live independently after a traumatic brain injury (TBI), spinal cord injury (SCI), or other neurologic, catastrophic or challenging diagnosis, including those...
Continue Reading »Neuropsychology is a specialized area of the field of psychology that focuses on the assessment and rehabilitation of persons who have abnormal brain-behavior relationships. Neuropsychologists have training and expertise in areas that include psychology, brain development, neurological disorders and their causes (etiologies), neurodiagnostic techniques, normal and abnormal test results and the effects of medical disorders. […]
Continue ReadingA traumatic brain injury (TBI) is life changing and can be uncertain in the consequences to the brain. A TBI occurs when a sudden trauma causes damage to the brain. TBI can result from a closed head injury or a penetrating head injury. A closed injury occurs when the head suddenly and violently hits an […]
Continue ReadingThe Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) is a traditional, well known and widely used scoring system used to measure and evaluate the level of consciousness of a person who has sustained a traumatic brain injury (TBI). It is one of several scales that are utilized for essentially the same three purposes: to evaluate coma for rapid […]
Continue ReadingIn much the same way that any other part of the body can swell when hit by an external force, so can the brain. Brain swelling, like swelling of other parts of the body, is often called “edema.” Swelling, or edema, is an abnormal accumulation of fluid in what are referred to as the “interstitium.” […]
Continue ReadingAs discussed in a previous blog, brain swelling is essentially similar to swelling of any other part of the body; it is the accumulation of fluid at or near a site of brain injury, infection or disease. However, the implications of it are far more serious. Because the brain is enclosed within the skull, the […]
Continue ReadingPupillary reaction, also referred to as the pupillary light reflex, is a reflex that controls the diameter of the pupil of the eye. It is measured by the intensity of light that falls upon it. The resulting diameter assists in a person’s adaptation to environmental lightness and darkness. Relatively bright light causes the pupil to […]
Continue ReadingSpinal cord injuries often result in the impairment of significant bodily functions. They can result from many kinds of occurrences, such as motor vehicle collisions, on-the-job accidents, falls and others. Regardless of the cause, the injury can be devastating to patients and families. The patient is unable to work, income sources diminish or, if the […]
Continue ReadingThe road to recovery from a TBI is one with many steps, hurdles and roadblocks. You will meet others who can be supportive in this process. Family training and education, cognitive support services and psychology services are important for the client and family to consider participating in, in addition to physical, occupational, recreational and speech […]
Continue ReadingAll of that might be true. The acute or immediate care that you received and the rehabilitation that followed has been very useful; without them, you may not have lived. But what you need now is something very different. It includes the ability to look at much of what you have been through very differently. […]
Continue ReadingWhat may come as a surprise is the help that pets can provide in the recovery process for clients who have sustained traumatic brain injuries. That help is just not limited to seeing-eye dogs for the visually impaired, even if the impairment was the result of a brain injury. [1] American Veterinary Medical Association, U.S. […]
Continue ReadingLimbic lobes are located deep within the brain. They differ in function from the four lobes visible on the exterior of the brain: the frontal, parietal, occipital and temporal lobes. The limbic lobes form a ring of interconnected structures around the brain stem that connects the cerebral hemispheres to the top of the brain stem. The […]
Continue ReadingThe occipital lobes, also referred to as the visual cortex, are located below the parietal lobes and behind the temporal lobes. Anatomically, they are located in the back of the brain and occupy about 12% of the entire surface area of the neocortex of the brain. Functionally the main job of the occipital lobes is […]
Continue ReadingThe temporal lobes are located beneath the frontal and parietal lobes. There is some overlap in location in that the largest parts of them are beneath the frontal lobes, with a smaller part located under the parietal lobes. In general, they are located near the temples of the head. Broadly, the temporal lobes are the […]
Continue ReadingThe parietal lobes of the brain are located essentially behind the frontal lobes. Like the other lobes of the brain, there is a parietal lobe in each of the two hemispheres of the brain. The parietal lobes are significant to many bodily functions due to their control of sensory perceptions. These include, touch, pain, temperature […]
Continue ReadingThe frontal lobes are located, as their name suggests, in the front of the brain. They are the largest of the brain lobes and perform myriad vital functions. These frontal lobes are involved in motor function, problem solving, spontaneity, memory, speech, the ability to get started performing a task, (which, in turn, requires the recognition […]
Continue ReadingThe brain is about the size of a small cauliflower and it resembles a cauliflower in appearance. But that’s about where the similarities end. The brain is a uniquely complex structure that controls, in various ways, all of the physical and mental functions of human beings. Although its workings were mysterious for centuries, much has […]
Continue ReadingThe bottom-line answer is “yes.” A concussion is an intracranial injury that should be taken seriously. Symptoms may have begun with a concussion and then escalated to a traumatic brain injury (TBI). A person may be admitted to NeuLife for specialized post-acute rehabilitation after sustaining a TBI for which he or she was treated in […]
Continue ReadingWatch as Univision Orlando features NeuLife yesterday!
Continue ReadingMany people have heard or read that March is Brain Injury Awareness Month. Probably fewer know what it means or its implications. Those who do know this important aspect of March include persons who have sustained brain injuries, their caregivers, medical professionals, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists and many therapists in other specialties who […]
Continue ReadingBy Tobi Gilbert, Psy.D. Alcohol abuse is a growing problem within the United States and even more significantly among the brain injured and spinal cord injury population. Approximately one third to one half of persons with brain injury or spinal cord injuries were under the influence of alcohol or other substances at the time […]
Continue ReadingToo often, too little specialized post-acute care comes too late with risk of disability. MOUNT DORA, Fla. (3/04/2014)—March is Brain Injury Awareness Month and NeuLife Residential Post-Acute Programs, a specialized neurorehabilitation facility, invites the media to spotlight an issue that too often goes unnoticed with consequences—a platinum post-acute period that may mean the difference between […]
Continue ReadingWatch WFTV’s Hispanic healthcare report featuring NeuLife’s bilingual Behavior Specialist, Vanessa Bracero, BCBA.
Continue ReadingBy Donna Check Many individuals with behavioral difficulties years post traumatic brain injury have spent time in multiple TBI behaviorally based facilities and programs around the country. Each neurobehavioral program utilizes different methods to help decrease unwanted behaviors. The most common are aggressive behaviors and inappropriate social behaviors and interactions. Identifying the existence of behaviors […]
Continue ReadingNeuLife, New Post-Acute Residential Neurorehabilitative Facility, Helps Address Deficit of Beds Nationally MT. DORA, Fla., Jan. 30, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — NeuLife announces its grand opening and reception for community and industry leaders and for the media February 5, 2014, to unveil its exceptionally individualized neurorehabilitative programs that transition individuals with catastrophic injuries from trauma to the […]
Continue ReadingUsing Real Life Situations to Improve Carryover for Cognitive Therapy Jolie Parker, MS CCC-SLP I’ve been hearing about speech-language pathologists taking patients, or clients, out for coffee, to a restaurant, or to a grocery store for cognitive assessments and therapy. That’s exactly what I am doing with my traumatic brain injury clients now. I’ve heard […]
Continue ReadingThe Protective Nature of Family Members and Professionals Alike Following Traumatic Brain Injury – and Letting Go Donna Check Family members are obviously frightened when they learn a loved one has any type of catastrophic injury and is unable to make decisions about care and treatment. Hospitals often assign a family member as Health Care […]
Continue ReadingApplied Behavior Analysis and the Way We Respond in Cases of Traumatic Brain Injury Vanessa Bracero, MS, BCBA The majority of inappropriate behaviors in individuals with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) are related to the injury and each individual’s current level of function. The behaviors are not just because the individual wants to be difficult. This shift […]
Continue ReadingCatastrophic Amputations – Overcoming Barriers at Home Following Discharge from Acute and Out-patient Rehabilitation Donna Check The modern day technological advances in prosthetic devices and adaptive equipment are astounding. Most of those who years ago would be dependent and out of work for the rest of their lives are now back to work, driving vehicles, running, […]
Continue ReadingRecognizing the Need – Transferring individuals with behavioral dysfunction from acute and neurorehabilitation facilities to specialized residential post-acute neurobehavioral rehabilitation programs Vanessa Bracero, MS, BCBA The Center for Disease Control reports there are approximately 1.7 million people diagnosed with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) in the United States, either as isolated incidents or in combination with […]
Continue ReadingNeuLife Neurological Services announces the opening of a residential post-acute program providing care and offering specialized services to individuals with catastrophic injuries and challenging diagnoses, with a focus on moving the clients from trauma to independence. Mount Dora, Florida (PRWEB) December 09, 2013 NeuLife Neurological Services announces the opening of a residential post-acute program providing […]
Continue ReadingMost traumatic brain injury recovery programs perform very well when it comes to addressing the needs of a person who has suffered a TBI, but unfortunately, the person’s wants frequently get swept under the rug. The entire focus of the recovery program becomes what the injured person needs to be able to do, or what […]
Continue ReadingDonna Check, MBA, and Jolie Parker, MS, CCC-SLP Most traumatic brain injury rehabilitation programs perform very well when it comes to addressing the needs of a person who has suffered a TBI, but unfortunately, the person’s wants and preferences frequently are not addressed. The entire focus of the program becomes what the injured person needs to […]
Continue ReadingIt is the mission of NeuLife as an organization to provide a comprehensive program of neurologic rehabilitation to support and promote the improvement of the quality of life for our patients.
As with all NeuLife provisions and specialized services, clients and designated family members and/or legal guardians participate in the referral, assessment and admission process. All services provided and those offered to our clients are arranged and coordinated by our care coordinators and are all-inclusive in a comprehensive per diem specific to each client.
