Question

A COTA works in a busy outpatient clinic that has a large open space where several therapy sessions are occurring simultaneously. The COTA is providing intervention for a client who has executive dysfunction secondary to an acquired brain injury. The client wants to return to work as a receptionist in an office that has an open concept design. Currently, the client is able to complete most work tasks in the therapy environment, but becomes easily distracted by movements and sounds. Which adaptation to the treatment environment would be MOST BENEFICIAL for promoting the client’s progress towards the return-to-work goal?

Position a portable partition to block the client’s line of sight from the other activities occurring in the clinic.

Schedule future sessions in a quiet treatment room within the rehabilitation department that has no visual or auditory distractions.

Configure a simulated work station cubicle with side walls and have the client use noise cancellation headphones during sessions.

Answer 1

The adaptation to the treatment environment that would be MOST BENEFICIAL for promoting the client's progress towards the return-to-work goal would be to configure a simulated work station cubicle with side walls and have the client use noise cancellation headphones during sessions. This adaptation would recreate the environment that the client wishes to return to and provide a controlled environment where distractions can be minimized. The noise-cancelling headphones would help to block out any external sounds that may cause the client to become distracted. With this setup, the client can practice working in an open concept design environment while still being able to focus on the task at hand.