ABSTRACT
This epilogue presents some closing thoughts on the concepts covered in this book. The book provides an account of life after brain injury that is unique in its depth of analysis and remarkably clever in its revelations as to what it is like to be brain injured and to progress from total dependence on others to the freedom of independence. It is unlikely that Christopher's intellectual achievements would have been so forthcoming after traumatic brain injury without considerable "cognitive reserve". The principle of cognitive reserve says that people with more education and high intelligence may show less impairment than those with poor education and low intelligence. As Christopher's story shows, the consequences of brain injury should not be swept under the carpet; society must consider new ways of reducing health costs, especially with an ageing population. The aim being that people with disabilities, especially following an insult to the brain, must have equal opportunities to achieve good quality of life.
