It is generally acknowledged that a child's primary caregiver acts as a spring board to independence. By encouraging the child to explore their world, parents and guardians are instrumental in developing the child's sense of self-esteem, self-worth and sociability. Less fortunate, however, are the increasing numbers of young children born with a…

The objective of the study was to study differences in aging phenomena among adults with intellectual disability (ID), who live in community residence versus their peers in residential care centers and to determine the contribution of health status, age, gender, etiology and level of ID to the decline in ADL function with age. Our study was based…

Deaf and hard-of-hearing students are often delayed in developing their independent living skills because of parental restrictions on activities outside the home due to worries about their child's inability to communicate, their whereabouts, and their general safety. Recent accounts of the use of two-way text messagers suggests that, like…

Students with disabilities need self-determination skills to achieve desired in-school and post-school outcomes. Many of these students need direct and explicit instruction to develop these skills. To provide this instruction, schools can infuse self-determination skills into content instruction or adopt a stand-alone self-determination…

Examined how well older frail households cope with requirements of independent living (household operation activities, housing consumption adjustments, health-related activities). Found that those lacking financial resources and informal supports were less likely to cope with independent living requirements and that families carried major burden…

After receiving word that a former client had recently passed away, the author reflects on the special time she had spent with her. The client's name was "Beckie"--the author's first set of contacts with her were quite ordinary. As the rehabilitation teacher (RT) serving that territory for the Maine Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired, the…

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine racial/ethnic differences in the relationship between functional disability and the use of health care services in a nationally representative sample of older adults by using the Andersen behavioral model of health services utilization. Design and Methods: The study used 12 years of longitudinal…

It has been well documented by researchers that the incidence of visual impairment (both blindness and low vision) increases as people age (see, for example, Congdon et al., 2004; Crews, 1994; Lighthouse International, 2001; Rubin, 2000) and that these physical declines can adversely affect an individual's ability to perform activities that…

This guide was designed for elderly individuals in Arkansas and for professionals working with these persons. It provides information about obtaining and using tools for living. The guide shows persons ways to work with agencies and organizations to see that tools needed by individuals are provided. It is intended to be an introduction to the…

Sample of 75 occupational therapists working with physically disabled adults in rehabilitation facilities completed the Independent Living Skills (ILS) Training Questionnaire. Results showed an average of 14 percent of treatment time spent on ILS training, considered a low amount by a panel of experts. It was suggested that community-based…

The Independence Programme (TIP) assists young people with physical disabilities in meeting the challenges of adult roles and responsibilities. An evaluation of one summer's program including 4-month follow-up of 10 youths showed clinically important changes in their performance of and satisfaction with daily living skills. (JOW)

Assisting consumers with visual impairments to achieve their optimum level of independence in the home and in the workplace should always be the goal of the rehabilitation teacher. Independence rests on the premise that each consumer is a unique, self-determining person who can and should be able to have control in shaping every area of his or her…

This article reviews the current and changing status of residential supports for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities (ID/DD). It examines four major trends in those supports: (1) Decreasing use of larger institutions and increasing use of community housing; (2) Decreasing size among community settings; (3) Increasing numbers…

A National Evaluation of Title IV-E Foster Care Independent Living Programs for Youth was conducted to evaluate the influence of the Independent Living Initiatives, Public Law 99-272, on States' development of programs, policies, and services; and the impact of services on outcomes for older youth discharged from foster care. The first phase of…

The paper defines independent living skills for persons with disabilities and gives samples of a variety of curricular materials available to teach these skills. Frequently asked questions (e.g., how are independent living skills related to survival or coping skills?) and answers precede the listing of 71 commercially available curriculum…