Community Living

The primary purpose of the ILS Program is to provide training and support to enable consumers to live as independently as possible with minimal assistance. This also includes a Parenting Program to ensure appropriate child-parent relationships, effective parenting skills, a nurturing, stable family environment, and family advocacy.

The ILS Program offers individuals the opportunity to acquire necessary skills for independent living in a natural environment. The curriculum focuses on, but is not limited to the following areas:

Meal Preparation

Cooking and baking vocabulary, kitchen safety, how to use utensils and appliances, how to measure, how to use spices and condiments, kitchen clean-up and kitchen maintenance. Learning basic food groups, how to plan well-balanced meals, basic nutrition.

Shopping

Learning to enter all items needed for the week on their grocery list, how to shop aisle to aisle, how to comparison shop and remain within a budget.

Laundry Care

Use of the apartment laundry facility or laundromat, properly sorting laundry, use of the washer and dryer, accurate measurements of soap and bleach and folding and storing clothes properly.

Personal Maintenance

Recognizing the need for good grooming in the work place and in the community. Consumers will learn to bath and/or shower daily, oral hygiene, hair care etc.

Communication/Socialization

Training will be provided to assist in learning to express their needs and desires. Consumers will also receive training in appropriately expressing emotions and resolving conflicts, appropriate sexual expression, and appropriate manners and behavior in a variety of settings. Consumers will receive training on problem solving techniques, and will be encouraged to participate in at least one social and/or recreational activity each week. Appropriate peer interaction will be addressed.