Resources - Brain Injury

Bancroft is committed to helping families gain knowledge and access important resources to help their family member be successful. The information and resources provided here was collected by Bancroft professional staff to help family members learn more about specific topics. Bancroft professionals are also available to answer specific questions or help you access support, when needed, for your family. Please be advised that the information provided is for educational purposes only and that Bancroft does not endorse any of the products or services listed.

Select from the following categories:

  1. Books
  2. Web sites

Books

Please note: Product descriptions and links are from Amazon.com.

Over my head: A Doctor’s Own Story of Head Injury from the Inside Looking Out
By Claudia L. Osborn

Locked inside a brain-injured head looking out at a challenging world is the premise of this extraordinary autobiography. Over My Head is an inspiring story of how one woman comes to terms with the loss of her identity and the courageous steps (and hilarious missteps) she takes while learning to rebuild her life. The author, a 45-year-old doctor and clinical professor of medicine, describes the aftermath of a brain injury eleven years ago which stripped her of her beloved profession. For years she was deprived of her intellectual companionship and the ability to handle the simplest undertakings like shopping for groceries or sorting the mail. Her progression from confusion, dysfunction, and alienation to a full, happy life is told with restraint, great style, and considerable humor.

Where is the Mango Princess?
By Cathy Crimmois

Although it was frightening when Crimmins's husband, Alan, an attorney, suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) while on a family vacation, it was his long-term rehabilitation that proved most daunting, for brain injuries can cause significant personality changes. This chronicle of Al's injury, treatment and rehabilitation shows how perplexing and stressful traumatic brain injury can be for both victim and family.

Living with Brain Injury: A Guide for Families
by Richard Senelick and Karia Dougherty

The new, updated edition of the renowned classic—complete with cutting edge neuroplaticity and exciting experimental rehabilitation research! Living with Brain Injury will help readers—both families of patients and professionals alike—through new, uncharted territory of brain rehabilitation, a world where people we love may change before our eyes, physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Websites

Brain Injury Association of America
The Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) is the leading national organization serving and representing individuals, families and professionals who are touched by a life-altering, often devastating, traumatic brain injury (TBI). Together with its network of more than 40 chartered state affiliates, as well as hundreds of local chapters and support groups across the country, the BIAA provides information, education and support to assist the 3.17 million Americans currently living with traumatic brain injury and their families.

Brain Injury Association of Delaware
The official website of the Delaware Brain Injury Association offers information about brain injuries, conferences, advocacy, and education.

Brain Injury Association of New Jersey
The official website of the Brain Injury Association of New Jersey, an organization dedicated to bringing "together people with brain injury, their families and friends, and concerned allied health professionals to improve the quality of life people experience after brain injury." The website includes a section on learning about brain injuries as well as programs and services for individuals with brain injuries and their families.

Brain Injury Association of New York
The Brain Injury Association of New York State (BIANYS) is a statewide non-profit membership organization that advocates on behalf of individuals with brain injury and their families, and promotes prevention. Established in 1982, BIANYS provides education, advocacy, and community support services that lead to improved outcomes for children and adults with brain injuries and their families. The Association also offers a toll free Family Help Line, chapters and support groups throughout the state, prevention programs, mentoring programs, speakers bureau, a video library and a publications library. BIANYS plays a central role in the development of public policy on the federal, state and local level.

Brain Injury Association of Pennsylvania
The official website of the Pennsylvania Brain Injury Association offers information about state programs for brain injured persons, and information on resources, advocacy, research, and prevention. http://www.chadd.org/ CHADD (Children and adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity disorder). This non-profit organization provides education, advocacy and support for individuals with AD/HD.

BrainLine
BrainLine is a national multimedia project offering information and resources about preventing, treating, and living with TBI. BrainLine includes a series of webcasts, an electronic newsletter, and an extensive outreach campaign in partnership with national organizations concerned about traumatic brain injury.

Defense and Veteran’s Brain Injury Center
The mission of the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center (DVBIC) is to serve active duty military, their beneficiaries, and veterans with traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) through state-of-the-art clinical care, innovative clinical research initiatives and educational programs. DVBIC fulfills this mission through ongoing collaboration with military, VA and civilian health partners, local communities, families and individuals with TBI.

Family Caregiver Alliance - National Center on Caregiving
Founded in 1977, Family Caregiver Alliance was the first community-based nonprofit organization in the country to address the needs of families and friends providing long-term care at home. Long recognized as a pioneer in health services, FCA now offers programs at national, state and local levels to support and sustain caregivers.

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
The mission of NINDS is to reduce the burden of neurological disease - a burden borne by every age group, by every segment of society, by people all over the world.

Neuroscience for Kids
Neuroscience for Kids has been created for all students and teachers who would like to learn about the nervous system. Discover the exciting world of the brain, spinal cord, neurons and the senses. Use the experiments, activities and games to help you learn about the nervous system. There are plenty of links to other web sites for you to explore.

NJ Commission on Brain Injury Research
The official website of the New Jersey Commission on Brain Injury Research offers additional information on the goals of the Commission and the services the Commission provides. The mission of the NJCBIR is "to promote the necessary research that will result in the treatment and cure for traumatic injuries of the brain, thereby giving hope to an ever increasing number of residents who suffer the debilitating effects of this injury."

North American Brain Injury Society
NABIS is a society comprised of professional members involved in the care or issues surrounding brain injury. The principal mission of the organization is moving brain injury science into practice. Whether it is in the area of clinical care, research, policy or litigation, the organization stands behind the premise that advances in science and practices based on application of the scientific evidence will ultimately provide the best outcomes for those with brain injuries and the community as a whole.

Ohio Valley Center for Brain Injury Prevention and Rehabilitation
The Ohio Valley Center conducts research, provides education and develops programs to improve the quality of life of persons who experience traumatic brain injury. The Center serves individuals, families and professionals throughout North America.

PBS Series on the Brain
In "Inside the Teenage Brain," FRONTLINE chronicles how scientists are exploring the recesses of the brain and finding some new explanations for why adolescents behave the way they do. These discoveries could change the way we parent, teach, or perhaps even understand our teenagers.

Sarah Jane Brain Project
The Mission of the Sarah Jane Brain Project is to create a model system of care for children and young adults suffering from all Pediatric Acquired Brain Injuries in order to advance our knowledge of the brain fifty years over the next five years.

The Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC) on Community Integration of Persons with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
The Center's Mission: All those affected by Traumatic Brain Injury, including traditionally under-served populations, have access to information, resources, and services that maximize participation in their communities and that treating professionals have the necessary information to meet the needs of persons with TBI; all areas of community integration, including traditionally under-emphasized areas such as friendship, intimacy, and creative expression, be addressed; attitudinal barriers to community integration of persons with TBI be reduced; and new types of partnerships, such as those with the larger disability community, be established in order to empower persons with TBI to have a voice in creating community services and networks to facilitate maximal community participation.

Traumatic Brain Injury: The Journey Home
The CEMM is a dynamic initiative from the Office of the Surgeon General aimed at supplying the most powerful interactive technologies available to Medical Treatment Facilities (MTF), Health and Wellness Centers (HAWC), and TRICARE civilian medical facilities. The CEMM is a nationally recognized leader in patient-related interactive multimedia. Its innovative structure and sophisticated production outsourcing strategies position it perfectly for rapid response to the ever-changing needs of patients.