OBJECTIVE. This study investigated performance of home management activities 1 year after traumatic brain injury (TBI), as reported on the Functional Status Examination.
METHOD. Home management performance of 164 rehabilitation inpatients (mean age 35.4 years, 77% men, 75% white) with moderate to severe TBI was examined in relation to demographics, injury severity, neuropsychological functioning, and living situation.
RESULTS. Fifty-nine percent reported more difficulty or more assistance with home management at 1 year. Nonperformance of individual activities before injury ranged from 16% to 76%. Age (p = .001), living situation after injury (p = .002), and neuropsychological function at 1 year (p = .001) were associated with more limited home management performance after injury as compared to premorbid function.
CONCLUSIONS. Home management is challenging 1 year after TBI, especially for older adults and those with greater cognitive impairments. Accurate preinjury information is needed to determine the nature and extent of subsequent losses, guide treatment planning and interventions, and characterize recovery of function.
