Brain trauma often leads to disruptive behavior, hampering care
In Virginia, Kathleen Fletcher never thought she might have to divorce her husband, Eric, to get him the health care he needs. She also didn't expect the emotional and financial struggles she's endured the past two years since her husband sustained brain damage from a motorcycle crash. Though he made a surprising physical recovery, learning to walk and talk again, Eric Fletcher's cognitive skills, including reasoning and short-term memory, remain fragile. He has attempted suicide three times this year and is often physically aggressive. As long as she's married, Kathleen Fletcher remains fiscally responsible for her husband. She has already depleted the family's savings and says she doesn't have the thousands of dollars needed monthly for a private neurological or nursing facility. On his own, Eric, 46, would probably enter a mental hospital. From there, he might find permanent placement in a Medicaid-approved, out-of-state neurological center or nursing home. Brain injury advocates say the Fletchers' story is not unlike the experiences of others who face financial challenges caring for loved ones who have severe traumatic head injuries. Eric Fletcher receives $1,500 a month in Social Security money but, his family has spent more than $100,000 on in-home assistance and 11 medications.
Continue reading "Brain trauma often leads to disruptive behavior, hampering care" »
