When students move from the world of school to the world of work or college they often also transition out of the family home to an assisted or independent living environment. The collaboration that occurs between home and school strives to prepare individuals to succeed during this transition. The following general topics should be discussed annually to ensure practice occurs or supports are put into place to help students to live as independently as possible.

Personal care questions to ask: (daily living skills pictures cards available)

• Do you know what personal care things need to be done daily?
• Do you know how often you should bathe?
• What would you do if you had to get up at a specific time?
• Do you know how much sleep you need each night?
• Can you tell time?

Health & Medical questions to ask: (daily living skills pictures cards available)

• Do you go to therapy?
• Do you have a doctor? Do you know where it is? The phone number?
• Do you have medical insurance? Do you have the card?
• Do you need help with your medicines? Do you take them on your own? Do you recognize what they look like? Can you call in your own prescription refill?
• What would you do if you didn’t feel well?
• Do you know how to make an appointment?
• Why should you eat healthy foods?
• What are some healthy foods?

Transportation

• Are you able to drive? Do you have a license or permit?
• Do you know how to use the CART bus and how much it costs?
• Do you know how to take a taxi and how much it costs?
• How do you get around if you need to go someplace?

Home (daily living skills pictures cards available)

• What chores do you do at home?
  • Do you clean your bedroom?
  • Do you clean other living spaces
  • Do you do the dishes?
  • Do you vacuum?
  • Do you dust?
• Do you need help with your home maintenance?
  • Do you mow the lawn?
  • Do you shovel the sidewalk?
• Do you know how to do your own laundry?
• Do you know where and where to take out your garbage?

Food Preparation

• Do you cook? Use the stove? Stovetop? Oven? Microwave?
• What things do you cook? What is your best dish?
• Where do you want to eat your meals (kitchen, living room):
• Do you need help planning your meals?
• Do you grocery shop on your own?
  • Do you use a list?
  • Do you know how to find the best deal?

Money/ Budgeting

• Can you count your money?
• Do you know how much to give to pay for something?
• Do you know when to wait for change?

Personal safety (daily living skills pictures cards available)

• What would you do if there was an emergency? Fire? Medical?
• What safety things should you do before going to bed each night?
• Do you know why you should never take a ride from strangers?

Communication

• Are you able to express yourself verbally and be clearly understood by others?
• Do you understand what people are saying to you?
• What do you do when you don’t understand what people are telling you?
• Are you able to use the phone to find out information that you need to know?

Many individuals with special needs benefit from picture cards to teach daily living skills because they have trouble processing verbally delivered information, initiating activities, staying focused, and completing every step within a task. Picture cards can promote accurate and independent completion of daily living activities and thus enhance the individual’s overarching quality of life. Daily living picture cards can also be integrated into story strips, functional communication systems, and visual schedules.

Daily living picture cards and reminder strips http://do2learn.com/picturecards/DailyLivingSkills/index.htm