The focus of occupational therapists is to engage the abilities that the person still has. We can achieve this by:
- Educating caregivers on what a cognitive disability is by describing the six Allen Cognitive Levels (ACLs).
- Planning and supporting remaining patterns of action, activity and occupational performance by implementing safe and positive schedules that sustain attention according to the standards set by the 10 ACL profiles.
- Customizing the person's activity plan by pinpointing the evaluation of what the person can still do with the 25 ACL modes and making common adaptations for inconsistencies in patterns of action or activity performance.
You will quickly learn that producing a simple action or activity that the person likes to do is intellectually, diplomatically and creatively challenging.
To do it well, you have to keep them busy, out of trouble, without any signs of distress, liking and interested in what they are doing, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.