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Changes in perception

Ignoring one side of the body

Ignoring one side of the body is called unilateral neglect. This means the brain ignores body parts or things on one side of the body, but not on the other. This means you may:

  • only dress one side of the body
  • only shave one side of the face
  • bump into things on one side
  • only turn your head to one side

Tips for family and caregivers

You can help someone be more aware of the side they tend to ignore by:

  • sitting on that side when you talk to them
  • touching or holding their hand on that side
  • reminding them to be careful walking through doorways or around furniture
  • putting things they use on that side
  • encouraging them to dress that side first​

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