Memory loss following a critical care admission

It is very common for patients who have been seriously ill to report that their memory is not as good as it was. The possible reasons for this include many of the potential causes of other psychological issues. In keeping with most of the other psychological problems encountered after critical illness, this too should get better over time. 

When I first came round from my coma I couldn’t even remember my wife’s name – that was a real shock.

Matthew
Rrecovering critical care patient

Sometimes returning back to normal life is enough to help improve memory back to what it was, but occasionally these problems can last for a long time. Similar to physical training it may be helpful to try some ‘brain training’ in your rehabilitation program – such as doing crosswords, puzzles or even just reading.