Programming for Apartment Living: A Description and Rationale of an Independent Living Skills Inventory

Abstract

An independent living skills inventory and its application are described in detail. The inventory was designed to assist in the transition from a dependent living environment to a more independent environment. It covers four major areas: selecting an independent living situation, setting up an independent living situation, surviving in an independent living situation, and a training model to implement training in any of those areas. The inventory was designed with a skill emphasis, essentially what skills are necessary and what steps must be followed for an individual to successfully move from one setting to another and survive in the new setting. A system of prioritizing adult skills for training is also suggested. The inventory is an attempt to identify those adult functioning skills necessary for independent living. It follows Belmore and Brown's (1976) Job Skill Inventory as an initial model with an emphasis on apartment living rather than vocational skills.