Final answer:
Difficulties with daily living can be impacted by the ability to think, which is essential for cognitive functions such as memory, language use, and problem-solving. The ability to think underlies and coordinates daily activities like eating, speaking, and walking. Cognitive impairments can severely limit the performance of day-to-day tasks and interaction with others.
Step-by-step explanation:
Difficulties with daily living can be significantly affected by the ability to think. Cognitive functions, which include the abilities to use language, reason, learn, and remember, are crucial for performing day-to-day tasks. For example, the ability to think allows a person to control internal body systems and keep them in balance, prepare the body to fight or flee in emergencies, and engage in complex problem-solving. Imagine the challenge of getting through a day without being able to remember how to dress yourself or recognize familiar faces — tasks that require the cognitive function to think and process information.
Additionally, daily activities such as eating, speaking, and walking are tied to different cognitive and physical abilities, but thinking is central in coordinating these activities. The act of eating involves knowing what food is and how to prepare it, speaking requires the ability to form words and communicate needs, and walking necessitates the memory of how to balance and move the body.
Lack of thinking ability can be seen in patients with certain cognitive disabilities, where routine tasks become challenging. If a person cannot produce words due to a cognitive impairment, simple interactions at the market become difficult. In Candace's case, for instance, while she can follow directions, her inability to respond verbally limits her ability to perform regular life routines like shopping for and preparing food. Therefore, without the ability to think properly, daily living can become a series of insurmountable obstacles.