IADLS

Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs) are activities that support daily life within the home and community such as meal preparation, financial management and community mobility. Does your child have difficulty performing these high complexity tasks or do they get easily stressed when planning to complete these tasks? If so, read more about how OTs can help your child enhance their confidence in performing their IADLs:

FOR YOUNGER CHILDREN

Meal preparation:

  • Involve your child in all aspects of meal preparation to make them feel involved (i.e grocery shopping, setting the table, collecting ingredients)

  • Monitor any chopping/cutting of ingredients for safety or educate the family on use of adapted utensils

Home management:

  • Create a chore chart and allow your child to select a reward for completing all chores to the set expectation (i.e., making the bed or taking out the trash)

  • Trial the chore chart with the expectation of completing chores 3 out of 7 days at first and work their way up to 7 out of 7 days

Care of pets:

  • Increase the level of responsibility the child takes in caring for the pet

  • Ask the child to pour the cup of food into the food bowl

  • Ask the child to monitor levels of water to ensure pets always has water to drink

  • Encourage the child to go on walks/play with the pet to increase physical activity

Grocery shopping:

  • Allow your child to select one item of their choice from the grocery store

  • Involve your child in selecting vegetables/fruits from the store

FOR OLDER CHILDREN

Meal preparation:

  • Find basic 10-step recipe that a child can independently follow

  • Collaborate with your child on how to locate, purchase, and organize ingredients

  • Ensure your child feels comfortable with using an oven/stovetop to cook

Home management:

  • Collaborate with your child to create a weekly schedule outlining the days larger chores will be completed (i.e., vacuuming, grocery shopping, laundry) to avoid stress and manage time appropriately

Financial management:

  • Collaborate with your child on how to create a monthly budget for groceries, leisure activities, school supplies, etc. to reduce stress

  • Practice writing checks, sorting bills, filling out bank statements with the child

Driving:

  • Practice finding bus schedules and time management for using public transportation to ensure your child can get around the community if they do not have a car

  • Assess for any barriers to safe driving (i.e., auditory stimuli, positioning, anxiety, vision, difficulty) and strategize how to eliminate barriers

  • Refer to a driving readiness and rehabilitation program if there are physical limitations to driving