Your life skills are all the activities that you do every day as part of your self-care. These include:
Cooking
Here are some top tips to make cooking easier.
Clean kitchen
Make sure the kitchen is clean, safe and clear before starting.
Recipe
Use recipes to find the right equipment and ingredients and follow the steps. You could also use simple pictures or video.
Wash hands
Wash hands regularly and clean as you go.
Get involved
For some this may be the whole task, for others it may be part of the task. Use packets, ready-made sauces and pre-cut vegetables to make cooking easier.
Show
Demonstrate or give verbal/physical assistance to the person (hand over hand or hand under hand) to chop, stir, mix, roll etc. Pictures on cupboards and drawers will help them to find what they need.
Risks
Reduce distractions. Supervise when using sharp equipment and hot food. Use oven gloves, check dates on food and give supervision as required.
Choice
Involve them in choosing recipes, ingredients and making shopping lists. Where possible try to encourage choosing healthy, balanced meals.
Experiencing success
Success is in getting involved not in creating a perfect end product. Offer praise and encouragement (but remember not everyone responds well to praise).
Sharing
Encourage cooking for others and eat together.
Equipment
Consider whether someone may need to use equipment such as a timer, non slip mats, larger non slip handles etc.
Here is a link to some useful kitchen aids
Easy read recipes such as the ‘Cook and Eat Easy Read Cookbooks’ can help make this easier. These are available to buy online or borrow from the library.
Washing and dressing
Here are some tips to make washing and dressing easier.
What do they like?
Support them to wash in the way they enjoy, for example a bath, shower, at the sink etc.
Sensitivities
Be aware of what they like when washing, for example water temperature, fragrances and whether someone likes firm or soft touch.
Prompting
Does they need prompting, use of visual ‘now and next boards’ or having items where they can see them?
Choice
Help them to make their own choices about what they wear including clothes, hair style, accessories etc.
Quantities
Do they need support to decide how much of something they need, for example shampoo, body wash or toilet roll?
Mirror
Make sure they have a mirror available so that they can check their appearance, and encourage being positive about their body.
Techniques
Look into ways of doing things differently if they are finding it hard, for example, use an electric toothbrush/shaver, roll on instead of spray, pump dispensers, dry shampoo etc.
Equipment
Do they need additional equipment to help them, for example sit on a chair at the sink, a non-slip mat in the bath or shower, a long-handled sponge etc.?
Going out
Here are some tips to help you get out and about.
In advance
Decide how you will travel and plan your journey there and back. Use Google Maps, timetables, adapted timetables with clock faces etc). You could create a simple map for the person you care for that can help them to join in travel planning.
Make a checklist
What do you need? Map, money, the right clothing for the weather, a mask or face covering? Make a checklist to prepare for your trip (use pictures if it’s easier)
Plan
Create a plan in case something goes wrong/ changes.
Visual aids
Can you produce some pictures to help? For example a wallet-sized prompt card, shopping list with pictures on, keyring etc.
Travel pass
Check to see if you can get a free travel pass.
Emergency
Have an emergency contact logged into your phone or carried with you (wallet size card) and make sure your phone is charged.
Safety
Keep your money and belongings safe and make sure you have enough money to do what you are planning. When on the bus sit near to the driver in case you need to ask for help.
Road Safety
Use zebra crossings, traffic lights and remember to look and listen before crossing the road.
If you and the people that support you want some individual help in this area because of your learning disability please refer to the LD Occupational Therapists (link to https://www.kentcht.nhs.uk/forms/community-learning-disability-team-referral-form/).