Evaluation of activities of daily living accommodations for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities

Purpose The intention of activities of daily living training with adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities is to promote independence and increase quality of life; however, low-level evidence supports Occupational Therapy practice within adult-day programmes. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of one-on-one activities of daily living accommodations with adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Design/methodology/approach The study design included a single group pretest post-test that evaluated changes in the site mentor’s knowledge and student participants observed and perceived independence in activities of daily living accommodations using training, assistive technology and caregiver education. Student participants’ progress in independence in activities of daily living was tracked on a created observation template. Findings Thirteen students participated in six individualized activities of daily living lessons. Collected data is organized into four sections: process skills, motor skills, observed independence and perceived independence. Participants were provided with compensatory, adaptive and technological approaches to facilitate independence in the aforementioned categories. Processing skills improved the most with subcategories of adapting performance and organizing timing being the most improved. Originality/value Findings highlight the importance of using Occupational Therapy practitioners’ knowledge and expertise to modify and individualize activities of daily living lessons to improve independence for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. This project addresses the gap in current literature by advocating for continued research and implementation of Occupational Therapy in adult day programmes.