Independent Living Skills
RIL provides training courses to help people with disabilities gain skills that would enable them to live more independently. Training may include using various public transportation systems, managing a personal budget, dealing with insensitive and discriminatory behavior by members of the general public and assisting in other areas.
Steps in Opening a Case Record:
- The Independent Living Specialist will contact the consumer to inform them what services are being offered.
- The Independent Living Specialist and consumer will meet to coordinate services and complete agency paperwork, Independent Living plan and Independent Skills assessment.
- The Independent Living Specialist will utilize the Independent Living Skills Training Guide to assist with teaching the consumer’s preferred skill.
Possible goals of the consumer:
1. Financial - A consumer can learn budgeting skills or money management to maintain independence. Financial training can also include learning to open and maintain checking or savings accounts.
2. Grocery Shopping – Consumers who are interested will learn how to comparison shop, choose healthy items, use coupons and purchase items.
3. Meal Planning/Cooking – Consumers can learn how to prepare meals that are healthy and to their liking, preparing recipes and teaching the consumer how to use utensils and safety are also taught.
4. Hygiene – Consumers that are having difficulty in this area can learn how to maintain good personal hygiene, such as bathing, grooming and dressing.
5. Using Public Transportation - To access the community, the IL Specialist will teach this skill by assisting the consumer to apply for RTA LIFT or Jefferson Parish’s MITS (para transit). Also the IL Specialist can ride with the consumer on accessible public buses and teaching them how to board the bus, where to place the tokens to purchase the ride and where to get on and off the bus.
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