What Skills Can Be Taught To Those Living In Assisted Living Facilities

Posted on: 28 January 2015

People who are physically or mentally disabled are not always able to live by themselves. They may not be able to perform daily routine tasks that others do. However, there are assisted living facilities that can help these people complete these tasks and learn how to do them on their own. These facilities are staffed with employees who are trained and experienced to help teach a variety of different skills to those who need help. If residents cannot perform certain daily activities, the staff can do these tasks for them.

Housekeeping 

Residents of assisted living facilities are taught how to perform light housekeeping duties. This may include sweeping floors, making beds and doing their laundry. The staff can also help them with removing trash from their areas and teaching them how to keep their rooms clean and sanitary.

Hygiene 

Assisted living facilities also have staff that can help residents with their daily hygiene tasks. The residents may be assisted with showers and bathing, shaving and oral hygiene. If the residents are capable of learning to take care of their own personal hygiene on their own, they gain a sense of independence that they may have not had in the past.

Preparing Meals 

Meal preparation is another skill that is taught in assisted living facilities. While this may vary depending on the residents' abilities, some are able to prepare complete meals once they have been trained and assisted by the staff of the facility. This may include preparing simple lunch meals, baking favorite desserts or any type of foods the resident wishes to learn to prepare.

Other Activities 

Some of the other life skills that are taught and assisted with include grocery shopping, money management and gardening. If the residents wish to take part in certain hobbies, this is also encouraged and the staff can assist them as needed.

The main goal of assisted living facilities is to help residents become as independent as possible while also providing them with any assistance they may need. In some cases, the resident may eventually be able to fully manage their own households and can move out on their own. 

However, there is no pressure for residents to learn certain skills within a certain time frame. Some will continue to reside at the facility and require assistance with most of their daily routine. For those residents who are interested in learning, this is a wonderful way to help them overcome personal obstacles and gain a great deal of confidence.

Share