Brain Injury Functioning Issue #6

Memory
Definition	Taking in new information, holding on to information, and recalling information when needed.
Signs and Symptoms of Problems	Difficulty Retaining New Information:  Hard to hold on to even brief instructions or explanations.  Difficulty remembering what was said at the beginning of a conversation. Difficulty Storing New Information:  Information is not retained long enough to be permanently stored. Difficulty Retrieving Stored Information: Hard to recall the main point of a conversation, even if it just occurred.  May forget important things learned from experience, causing mistakes to be repeated.
Strategies for Survivors and Significant Others	Use external strategies (i.e. calendars, lists, planner, timers) Increase awareness of problems to increase use of strategies. Follow a daily structure/routine Allow repetition of new information or tasks to assist learning and recall Provide information in small pieces rather than lengthy ones Provide visual as well as verbal instruction of new tasks Help to develop associations/mnemonic devices to improve carry over of information learned  (associate old information with new) Determine strengths and weaknesses with memory, and use strengths as much as possible (i.e. verbal memory vs. visual memory vs. learning by doing). Write important information down in a consistent location and organized fashion Place items in a common location (i.e. keys in a bowl by front door, bills in tray) May need to rely on trusted others for memory Journal the day’s events as they occur