Assessment Guideline
With the impact of ______ these areas have increased difficulty:
Learning new information
Maintaining conversation
Filtering irrelevant information
Shifting attention as needed
What is "Functional Communication"?
TBI patients can benefit from using this technique, which involves breaking tasks into smaller, manageable steps and focusing on completing one step at a time.
What is chunking?
What is one aspect of their health or functioning, that we do not know about Johnny and Adele, that would likely be important to know?
What is sleep
*Possible other answers
_______ includes: in-depth patient history, reports of symptoms, the impact of symptoms on function, and “problem-focused, hypothesis-based, ecologically valid assessments.”
What is a "comprehensive evaluation"?
TBI patients can enhance their attention and cognitive function by ensuring they get an adequate amount of this essential aspect of health, which plays a crucial role in brain function and recovery.
What is sleep?
Give two examples of skill-specific training activity that could help Johnny with his attention and processing deficits?
Multiple acceptable answers:
E.g.
These two client-specific assessment components or outcomes are likely to guide and/or dictate treatment plans. (HINT: Not condition-specific)
What are client skills and goals
TBI patients often experience deficits in this type of attention, which involves the ability to maintain attention over an extended period, leading to increased errors and decreased productivity. What area would you treat?
What is sustained attention
What kinds of external aids or environmental modifications that might be helpful for Johnny?
*Multiple options
Examples: A wall calendar with appointments that is easily visible easily
Have him use his phone to put in reminders for appointments, or notes to self.
Lots more!!!
Imagine you are in a loud and busy environment, working with a client to assess for attention deficits — based on the current context, you decide a comprehensive evaluation isn’t appropriate and instead use informal _______ to get some insight on the client's condition. (More than one correct answer)
What is observation, cognitive assessment/tests, and/or clinician-completed rating scales
Practicing dribbling a basketball in your backyard to get better at dribbling during an actual game.
What is “direct training”?
What strategies, or intervention approaches might you use when working with Adele?
Multiple Possibilities
E.g., Compensatory strategies such as: Signs posted around the patient’s living environment to help them focus their attention on specific tasks
Providing scaffolding to help a patient attend to a morning routine, step by step (likely during a co-treat with OT or PT)
It is important to be aware that a client's attention may or may not be stable over time – fluctuations in attention are known as _______.
What is “intra-individual variability”
Ongoing discussions in acquired cognitive disorders focus on identifying the most effective approaches to rehabilitate attention and processing speed deficits, including debates about the optimal timing, intensity, and types of these interventions.
What are "rehabilitation strategies"?
Open-Ended Question: For Johnny or Adele, explain how attention deficits may be correlated with the other cognitive deficits they are experiencing?
Attention is foundational to other higher level cognitive processes. Problems in attention are likely to result in or compound impairment in other processes, including memory, learning and executive functions.