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Feature
Supporting intimacy after brain injury
© Paul Bradbury via Getty Images
Coventry University is leading research around supporting people and their partners with intimacy after an acquired brain injury . Here we look at the exciting opportunities for occupational therapists to get involved .
T he long-term consequences for people living with acquired brain injury also impact upon their close family members , with partners often becoming informal caregivers . Many relationships break down as couples struggle to adapt to new roles , adding more distress to those already going through life-changing experiences .
Psychological distress can cause – and be caused by – sexual and intimacy concerns . The interdependent relationship between mental and sexual wellbeing highlights the urgent need to support both elements simultaneously to maximise benefit .
Time for policy change
National , political , and strategic interest in this topic has been evidenced most recently by The Lancet Neurology Commission ( Menon and Bryant 2019 ) and the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Acquired Brain Injury ( Balogun et al 2020 ) campaigns to improve neurorehabilitation services .
These issues also align with the World Health Organization ( 2017 ) report on sexual and reproductive health and the James Lind Alliance Top Ten Priorities for improving psychological wellbeing in stroke rehabilitation and long-term care .
36 OTnews February 2023