Observable Clues in Your Clients' Behaviour
Following on from our last chat, where we looked at what functional cognition actually is in the context of daily life, now we're going to start honing our observational skills. Sometimes, our clients might not explicitly tell us - and often not tell us with the cognitive space - they're struggling with these everyday tasks, but their behaviours can offer some pretty telling clues.
Here are some key things you might notice in your clients that could indicate challenges with their functional cognition:
The disorganised: Keep an eye out for clients who frequently miss appointments, double-book themselves, or seem to have a chaotic approach to scheduling. They might turn up late, forget the date altogether, or have a diary that looks like a dog's breakfast.
Half finished tasks: Notice clients who talk about starting lots of things but rarely finishing them. They might have a list of projects on the go but struggle to see any of them through to completion. This can show up in therapy goals too – lots of good intentions, but little follow-through.
Frequently misplacing things: Frequent reports of losing things – keys, wallets, paperwork – can sometimes point to underlying difficulties with organisation and memory in the context of daily routines.
Often saying yes to more: Clients who consistently underestimate how long tasks will take or try to cram too much into their day might be struggling with time management and planning. They might say things like, "I thought I could just squeeze one more thing in."
Tangible : While some digression is normal, a client who frequently goes off on tangents, struggles to stay on topic, or has difficulty following the thread of a conversation might be experiencing challenges with attention and executive functions that impact their daily task management too.
Avoiding things: You might notice clients avoiding tasks they know they need to do, even when they understand their importance. Procrastination can sometimes be a sign of underlying difficulties with initiation or feeling overwhelmed by the task demands.
Blaming others: While not always the case, clients who consistently blame external factors for their difficulties with daily tasks might lack some self-awareness regarding their own cognitive contributions to these challenges.
It's important to remember that any one of these behaviours on its own doesn't necessarily scream "functional cognition deficit." However, when you start to see a pattern of these signs, it's worth considering how underlying cognitive skills might be impacting their ability to navigate their day-to-day lives effectively.
In our next episode, we'll shift our focus to what our clients actually say. Their words can provide even more direct clues about the functional cognition barriers they might be facing.
See you in the next one,
– Imogen
