Case study 1 (worth 40 marks)

After a car accident 8 years ago, Thomas was diagnosed with an Acquired Brain Injury. His symptoms range from:

minor memory retentions issues, specifically for longer chunks of information,

cognitive fatigue if focusing for too long on specific tasks,

irregular headaches associated with cognitive overload or stress,

low patience, he often struggles to regulate emotions,

speech issues when he is fatigued.

Thomas'sphysical rehabilitation was effective to get him back on his feet, he is now able to drive again and attends his local gym where they have set a program with consultation from his rehab consultant to further strengthen his body with low impact exercises.

PHE5EMD: Notebook Activities 2 Instructions and rubric

Before the accident Thomas worked as a landscape gardener for a large company. Thomas has been looking for work (part time or casual) for the past year. Prior to his injury, Thomas gained employment easily. Now, however, the situation has left Thomas feeling very anxious and he reports feeling depressed and isolated. Thomas has lost contact with many friends he had before his accident and feels that work will help him to re-connect with the community again. Thomas is seeing a psychologist to address his mental health concerns and has been referred to your vocational rehabilitation service to learn about his employment options.

Task: You are meeting with Thomas to explain follow:

Which of the employment programs (open, supported, or competitive) do you think would best suit Thomas? Why?

What the aims of the chosen employment programs are, with examples linking specifically toThomas'ssituation.

What the potential barriers to employment for Thomas might be.

What the potential benefited of employment for Thomas might be.