What Are Aids for Daily Living?
Aids for Daily Living are adaptive devices designed to assist people with various disabilities in everyday activities such as eating, bathing, dressing, toileting, grooming, cooking, reading/writing and leisure activities. These range from low tech to high tech and are designed to overcome obstacles related to limitations in physical access (largely hand function), physical mobility and vision.
How Are Aids for Daily Living Used in the School Setting?
Many of life's common activities occur during the school day. For example, students eat at lunch break, prepare food in a Home Economics or Life Skills class, use the restroom and need access to clocks, calculators and other common devices. As part of the normal school day, these activities and devices must be made accessible to students with disabilities. Under the law, school districts may be required to provide adaptive aids where needed.
Aids for Adapted Physical Access
Students with cerebral palsy, spinal cord injury, arthritis or other conditions which affect hand function are greatly limited in their access to common clothing, tools, utensils and appliances. They may benefit from adaptive products such as:
- Velcro adapted clothing
- Eating utensils and cups with special grips
- Adaptive grips for pens and other writing/drawing instruments
- Battery operated scissors
- Battery operated game spinners and electronic dice
- Adapted grips and levers on doorknobs and other classroom fixtures
Aids for Physical Mobility
Students who use walkers or wheelchairs may experience difficulty reaching and transporting supplies as well as reaching door handles, light switches, water faucets and other permanent fixtures in the classroom. They may benefit from adaptive products such as:
- Extension tongs and other reaching devices
- Baskets or caddies for carrying supplies or tools on a wheelchair or walker
- Adapted grips and levers on doorknobs and other classroom fixtures
Aids for Students with Vision Limitations
Students with visual limitations may benefit from the following products or adaptations:
- Talking clocks, timers, calculators, etc.
- Adhesive labels with Braille or other tactile symbols
- Appliances with tactile dials and buttons
- Optical magnifiers and electronic/video magnification systems
Where Can I Obtain More Information About aids for Daily Living?
Links to Vendors
Links to Other Resources
