How To: Activities of Daily Living

dressing (putting on clothes, buttoning and tying, dressing for the weather)
shopping (making a list, transportation, balancing a diet, budgeting spending, handling money, making change)
cooking (snacks, simple meals without cooking, cooking with a microwave, cooking on a stove under supervision, cooking without any supervision)
grooming (needs prompting for all care, needs physical help, able to brush teeth etc... without reminding but needs some physical assistance, independently able to care for self)
cleaning (none, personal responsibilities like making bed and putting away possession, light housework like sweeping and dusting, heavy housework like scrubbing and yardwork, all cleaning)
and complying with medication, diet, or exercise regimen

Can they relate to coworkers, supervisors, the public in a job setting? Can they accept instruction and feedback, interact appropriately with others?
Can they understand, remember, and carry out a variety of job instructions with some supervision?
Can they understand, remember, and carry out on their own simple instructions (1 or 2 steps), complex instructions (more than 3 steps), and very complex instructions (more than 3 steps and of a technical or detailed nature requiring some decision making on the spot)?
Can they maintain attention and concentration for two hour periods?
Can they withstand the stresses of an 8 hour workday and day to day work activities?
Can they manage money, make change, budget money, spend wisely, and deposit checks responsibly?
What is their prognosis; will they always be so, or could services improve their skills?
Are there any medical problems, or side-effects of medications, that would impair their work ability?

They have trouble making decisions about good people to accept as friends, finding safe places to "hang out," and getting involved in healthy activities. With support and guidance, however, they can do so.
They associate with "unsavory types," or with people they later do illegal things with. They have conflicts with the neighbors and landlords, run-ins with the police and agency staff, and fights with others including strangers, friends, and family. They are resistant to support and guidance.
They are able to make good friends, decisions about their safety, and choices in where they go and what they do.

Unable to care for self due to mental or physical reasons
Able to care for self doing simple things under supervision, but need a high or low level of supervised care for complex things
Able to care for self doing simple things with or without some reminding, but need help for complex things
Able to care for self independently