Brain injury care at home
Support at home after an acquired brain injury: structure and prompting through the day, personal care, and getting out again. You choose the carer, and they follow the plan agreed with the therapists.
What an acquired brain injury is
An acquired brain injury is an injury to the brain that has happened since birth. Causes include falls, road accidents, stroke, tumours, bleeding on the brain and infections such as encephalitis (Headway).
The effects that don't show
Many of the hardest effects can't be seen in a short visit, and they are often what makes life at home difficult.
- Memory: forgetting appointments, conversations, or whether medication was taken
- Fatigue: tiring quickly, especially after concentrating or a busy morning
- Starting and planning: knowing what to do but struggling to begin, or to do things in the right order
- Emotions and behaviour: irritability, mood swings, or saying things without the usual filter
- Communication: finding words or following a conversation
- Physical effects: such as weakness or problems with balance
What a carer does
- Keeps the same shape to the day, with a written routine everyone can see
- Prompts rather than does, so skills come back or are kept
- Follows the therapists' plan the same way every time
- Paces the day around fatigue, with planned rests
- Helps with personal care, meals and medication reminders
- Writes down what happened each day, so patterns show
- Supports getting out: appointments, shopping and seeing friends
When behaviour is hard to live with
Write down what happened, when, and what came before it. Ask the GP to rule out pain, infection, tiredness or a medication change. Then take it to the professional who leads that part of the plan, and agree one response that everyone uses.
Care and clinical care
Carers give personal and practical care. Clinical tasks, such as injections, wound care or changing a catheter, come from the NHS team unless a carer has been trained for that specific task and it has been agreed with the team. Tell us about all care needs up front so we only introduce carers who can help safely.
Which care fits
Hourly visits give structure at the key times of day. Live-in care suits someone who needs prompting and supervision through the day. If two people are needed to move someone safely, two carers can work together.
Help paying for care
- Personal Independence Payment: for people aged 16 or over with difficulty with everyday tasks or getting around, usually under State Pension age for a new claim, and not affected by income or savings (Adult Disability Payment in Scotland)
- Attendance Allowance: for people over State Pension age who need help, not means-tested
- Council funding: after a free needs assessment and a means test
- Direct payments: council money you can use to arrange your own care
- NHS Continuing Healthcare: when needs are mainly health needs
- Access to Work: a grant towards practical support at work, such as a support worker or job coach
Rates and rules checked against GOV.UK and the NHS in October 2026. Benefit rates usually change each April.
Tell us about them
The diagnosis, how they are now, routines, and what matters to them.
See matched profiles
Profiles say what experience each carer has, so you can choose with care.
Speak first
Talk to carers by phone or video call before you agree to anything.
Care starts
You and your carer agree the routine, and change it as needs change.
How carers are checked
Before LCH Care introduces a carer, we check their identity, right to work in the UK, Enhanced DBS, two references, work history, and relevant training or qualifications. Carers also hold their own public liability insurance. You then speak to the carer by phone or video call before you agree to anything.
Other conditions
- Dementia care
- Parkinson's care
- Stroke care
- Palliative and end of life care
- Multiple sclerosis care
- Motor neurone disease care
- Cancer care
- Spinal cord injury care
- Cerebral palsy care
- Muscular dystrophy care
- Diabetes care
- Heart disease care
- COPD care
- Arthritis and osteoporosis care
- Sight loss care
- Mental health support
- Learning disability support
- All conditions
Questions
Can a carer help with memory problems?
Yes, with a steady routine, reminders, a diary or whiteboard, and prompting rather than doing things for the person.
Do carers give therapy?
No. Therapists set the rehabilitation plan. A carer follows it between sessions, the same way every time.
What if behaviour changes?
Write down what happened and when, ask the GP to rule out physical causes, and agree one response with the professional who leads the plan.
Can care start when they leave hospital?
Yes, when a suitable carer is available in your area. Tell us the discharge date as early as you can.