Balance

• Balance problems are some of the most common lasting effects of brain trauma. These can be due to loss of motor function in the legs or core, because of low sensation in the ear or feet, or direct damage to the motor and balance centers in the brain. The home of a person with balance problems should be cleared of sharp corners and have tall shelves anchored to the wall. Hand rails are essential in the bathroom and advisable in hallways.
  
  

Sensation

• Sometimes brain damage means the victim can no longer receive signals from one or more sense organs. Exactly how to fit a house to accommodate this problem depends on the missing sense. Lost smell, for example, means installing top-notch fire alarms. Lost hearing might mean hooking up the doorbell to a blinking light.
  
  

Judgment

• One of the most tragic effects of damage to some brain areas is loss of judgment and other cognitive abilities. In many cases, this kind of damage will require the supervision of another adult--either a family member or nurse. Although the causes are different, people with this kind of brain injury must be handled much like adults with developmental disorders.