Living with Limitations

Learning to live with limitations is about acceptance and focusing on strengths. Physical and medical limitations are concrete and it is easier to accept what you can and cannot do. The cognitive and behavioral limitations are harder to identify and accept. Day-to-day life after a traumatic accident is one of uncertainty and constant change. There are many ways to help alleviate the stress of living with your limitations.

Learn to manage stress. Life is full of daily stressors and can throw a curveball at you at any time. It is important to develop and use positive coping skills to help deal with them. You may have to try out many different coping techniques to find ones that work for you. Some of these techniques include taking deep breaths, writing in a journal, taking a walk or talking to a trusted friend. Managing stress in a positive way has a positive effect on recovery.

Redefine success. Family and friends may have certain expectations of you as you move through recovery. Often times these are expectations that the “old you” would be able to accomplish. Redefining success is important for the “new you.” Establishing new guidelines for determining your success will help increase self esteem and happiness with your new life.

Set your priorities. Trying to accomplish too many tasks at once can be a recipe for failure and frustration and can lead you right back to “stressing.” Discuss with your family the tasks you need to do and make a list, putting the most important tasks at the top. As you move through your list, you are able to see what has been accomplished and what you still would like to do. This activity is a visual tool as well as to help you measure your progress, and that can be very uplifting.

Ask for help. Many people have problems asking for help. This can be a very humbling experience as you are adjusting to your new life living with limitations. People enjoy helping other people and asking for help early in the recovery process can help ward off a crisis in the future. It is important to express appreciation for help and if possible offer help in return.

Be patient. The road to recovery after a traumatic injury is where patience can be a virtue. There will be many situations during recovery where you will need to be patient.  For example, there may be a task you want to do and have been working toward achieving it for weeks, but you feel it is taking too long. This situation requires patience.  Some tasks, if you rush them, may result in taking steps backward. With a little practice, you can learn to have more patience with the recovery process, people and yourself.

Learn from mistakes and avoid being hard on yourself. Life is about learning from our mistakes. It does not mean we have failed. Living a life with limitations means learning to do things a little differently and sometimes we do not get it right the first time. Avoid being hard on yourself because it will make recovery much tougher. It can be helpful to take out 15 minutes a day to do a self check-in to see how you are feeling and determine if you have praised yourself for anything each day. Even small accomplishments are important to acknowledge.

Develop short-term goals. Short-term goals are an important part of living with limitations and can help you accomplish what you need to on a daily or weekly basis. These goals are not to replace your long-term goals but they help to set realistic expectations[1].

Proper and timely post-acute rehabilitation that may determine the difference between disability and independence is what NeuLife refers to as the “platinum post-acute period” — the crucial window following acute care that is needed to nurture the whole person to health with specialized, clinically relevant services.

NeuLife’s programs and services are individualized with specialized programs and rehabilitation are tailored to each of our clients based on clinical needs and personal preferences. We focus on the achievement of personal fulfillment, increased independence and successful outcomes. NeuLife’s mission is to consistently provide the highest standard of care in the delivery of clinically relevant services to achieve successful sustained outcomes and exceed the expectations of all persons served.

NeuLife, in Mount Dora, Florida, is a fully accessible residential post-acute program providing superior care and specialized rehabilitation to individuals diagnosed with traumatic brain injury (TBI), spinal cord injury (SCI), traumatic amputations and other catastrophic injuries.

2725 Robie Avenue

Mount Dora, Florida 32757