VA Medical Center uses computer games, puzzles and teaching how brain works to help returning warriors overcome problems with memory, attention and more
PHOENIX - Veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan now have an array of tools to combat the difficulties and frustrations of subtle brain injuries and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), thanks to a unique program started recently by the Phoenix Veterans Affairs Health Care System (PVAHCS).
Some of the tools they use may seem ordinary: computer games like Bejeweled and Tetris, Sudoku and other puzzles, and card games like Uno and Skip-Bo. But neuropsychologists at the Carl T. Hayden VA Medical Center are employing a specialized approach through their "Brain Boosters" groups to help veterans like William Green, a former Marine corporal from Chandler, and Grace Grubbe, an Army veteran from Peoria, to recover from brain injury.
It starts with screening that asks a few simple questions to identify returning veterans who may have subtle forms of brain injury, such as whether a veteran has been exposed to any blasts during his or her duty, and whether he or she has ever felt dizzy or confused since then. Other clues are headaches, short-term memory loss and trouble with bright lights. The screening tool used by the VA nationwide is similar to one developed by the PVAHCS a few years ago, and reflects the most current clinical knowledge about blast injury.
According to the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center, 64 percent of soldiers wounded in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) sustain blast injuries, such as those caused by Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). These blasts often result in closed head injuries that, unlike penetrat¬ing head wounds may not be diagnosed immediately. Even in the absence of physical injuries, soldiers and marines may come home with residual concussions from repeated exposure to blasts, possibly accompanied by PTSD, and suffer from insomnia, memory loss and difficulty focusing.
All returning veterans who have served in Iraq or Afghanistan are screened by a physician at the PVAHCS for brain injury. A more detailed follow-up screening helps find those veterans who need specialized treatment.
Neuropsychologists Kathleen Goren, Ph.D., and Mary Lu Bushnell, Psy.D., lead small groups of up to 8 veterans in weekly sessions that meet for 10 weeks, educating them on how the brain works and how injuries, post-traumatic stress and sleep deprivation can affect their cognitive, or thinking, processes.
"The brain boosters group is an opportunity for veterans to not only learn about brain injury, but to learn about what aspects they can control to improve their brain function," says Bushnell.
VA clinical staff then helps them use everyday tools to strengthen their abilities to focus, reason through problems and remember. "We provide hands-on activities so veterans can practice the new skills they have learned in the group," says Bushnell.
"This is a computer generation," notes Goren, and the VA program has an extensive list of games and puzzles to help with memory, concentration and problem solving that can be accessed on the internet. What's more, she says, the fact that the games are fun means veterans will keep practicing their skills and improving.
"The brain is much like a muscle that needs exercise," adds Goren. "Although the Brain Boosters group is relatively new, both Dr. Bushnell and I are very enthusiastic about its potential. We're getting very positive feedback from the veterans who have participated."
The VA Medical Center is starting more Brain Boosters groups, some focusing on specific areas, such as memory, communication skills, sleep and dealing with pain.
Former Marine William Green, who was in Iraq during the first several months of the war and was exposed to repeated blasts, has had problems with memory and attention, as well as nightmares, since he returned home. He participated in one of the 10-week groups. He says that learning about the parts of the brain that are affected by blasts and PTSD was helpful, as were techniques to help calm himself and overcome the frustration of not being able to focus or remember. He will use Sudoku to practice and strengthen his abilities.
Grace Grubbe, an Army veteran who served alongside her husband in an engineering unit at the start of the war in Iraq, has physical and neuropsychological injuries stemming from her service. She also suffered from memory loss, as well as difficulty sleeping. "I think it's gotten a lot better because of participating in the group," she says.
She especially appreciated the detail shared by the doctors on how the brain functions: "It helped us focus more on healing that part of the brain that was not working well.
Adds Grubbe: "The people at the VA are very caring and concerned. They answered all our questions and got us what we needed."
# # #
MEDIA NOTE: Interviews are available with veterans who have participated in the Brain Boosters group along with staff of the VA Medical Center.
# # #
Plug-In Notice:
Some documents on this web page require a separate plug-in application in order to view and print. The icon(s) listed below when placed next to a link in a web page indicates a plug-in is required and what type of plug-in is needed. Clicking the icons or links listed below will take you to a page from which you can download and install all plug-ins.
Word Document Format