Problem Solving Planner

PROBLEM SOLVING PLANNER

Problem solving is the cognitive process of identifying and coming up with solutions to difficult issues. The goal of treatment is to improve problem-solving skills and/or compensate for deficits in order to increase independence, safety, and quality of life. Choose problem-solving goals and techniques based on the patient’s previous and current levels of functioning, the amount of support available, motivation, insight into deficits, and other factors.

Problem-solving treatment includes:

Restorative treatment (improved learning) and compensatory treatment (changes to the home)

LEARN NEW SKILLS

TEACH-M is an acronym for 6 ways to learn new skills.

Use TEACH-M to help your patients increase independence with daily tasks.

Errorless learning:

Focus on accuracy throughout the task, emphasizing not guessing.

Minimize guessing by giving enough help (e.g., verbal cues to double-check the medication labels).

Metacognition.

Help patients improve awareness about how they perform on a task.

Before the task, ask the patient to predict how they’ll do.

After the task, ask them to assess how they did.

Discuss how their assessment of their own performance compares with how they actually did on the task.

Task Analysis:

• Help your patient break down the task into smaller steps.
• High number of practice trials
• Have your patient complete the entire task over and over again.
• High number of practice trials:
• Have your patient complete the entire task over and over again.

Cumulative review:

• Have your patient repeat all the steps of the entire task.
• Then review how they did on their task.

SETTING GOALS

• What is your normal routine?
• Walk me through what a normal day would look like.
• What is missing?
• List the things that you used to do that you would like to do again.
• Change your routine.
• What could you do tomorrow to reach your goal?
• What 1 to 3 steps can you take this week to reach your goal?
• How would your routine. change?
• What is reasonable in the short term?

Given your new challenges, which of these goals can you get back to in the next two weeks?

• You may need to make your goal easier, and that’s okay.
• You can gradually work towards any bigger goals.

Make a schedule.

On the next page, write down your current and previous routines.

Add your weekly goal. the steps you will take to reach this goal.