Quality of Life Indicators

Fran

Former desparate mom
The article below the url is a simple easy to use list for projecting forward in some of our kids futures. There is a more formal article that you can read if you click on the url below.

Quality of Life Indicators

Lisa Ruble and Nancy Dalrymple wrote the article below that puts his future into perspective. I really like this Quality of Life chart that they came up with. I think the things that are mentioned here apply to just about everybody, not just persons with disabilities.


Quality of Life Indicators to Consider in Judging Outcomes for People with Autism

Participate in activities with family members or close friends (e.g., travel, eat out, shop, favorite games or activities, church, dinners).

Included in family/close friends� events and passages (e.g., holiday gatherings, weddings, funerals, births, birthday celebrations, illnesses and accidents).

Contact with family members and friends as frequently as desired (e.g., make and receive phone calls, write and receive letters, send and receive cards , visits, invitations.)

Active and comfortable in familiar community:
* Ride transportation, walk, ride with family or friend, ride bike;
* Shop for groceries, clothes, gifts, cards, crafts, needed equipment, personal items;
* Choose movies, videos, places to eat out, ordering in;
* Go to special events: sports, circus, shows, concerts;
* Participate in the YMCA, bike club, or other interest or philanthropic clubs.

Work at a valued job to earn money:
* Like job and feel good about doing it;
* Supported by people on the job;
* Can do job competently;
* Know performance is good.

Learn about the world through successful experiences with supportive people:
* Opportunity to try new activity;
* Opportunity to meet new challenges;
* Opportunity to meet new people.

Opinions and choices are considered valid and important.

Take responsibility for personal and home chores to the greatest extent possible and take pride in doing this through recognition and contributing to the family:
* Bathe, wash hair, shave, style hair, and get hair cut;
* Cook, clean, take care of clothes, pick up after self;
* Health and wellness - nutrition, weight, medication.

Has own special possessions and personal space to keep as desired and has time and space to be alone when desired.

Makes choices about purchases and manages own money to the greatest extent possible.

Receives enough information to make valid choices and not have to refuse them because of lack or information, lack of experience, or lack of support.


Now I am sure that some people will see this Quality of Life Indicator chart in a negative light. I do not feel that it puts limits on my child's ability, it just gives me the direction that I need to aim for. Sometimes when dealing with the ordinary little crisis that occur from day to day, I tend to lose sight of the "BIG PICTURE." To test this chart, compare it to your OWN life. This is what "normal,""average" people do, and yet we tend lose sight of these things as we are rearing our children.

In other words, I don't want to be the one who has limited Christopher's ability to have a good outcome. Sometimes it seems easier to just let things "go" than to have to make the plans, write the social stories, draw the maps, etc., that allow him to be included in such activities, but if I don't make sure he is included in those activities now, how will he ever learn how to be included in those activities later?
 

totoro

Mom? What's a difficult child?
I just did something like this with my therapist a best case/ worst case scenerio for difficult child and her future. husband got kind of mad at us for being "negative" I had to explain that this reality and to be prepared for things like Residential Treatment Center (RTC) or some type of placement or the possibilty of her not being able to mainstream as an adult is a very possible reality... nagative or not.
We were doing it to set up financial options placement options etc.

This is a good thing I think. Something we need to think about, unforunately.
 

'Chelle

Active Member
I think the list is pretty much the basics of what everyone needs to have a happy life. Sometimes I think the unhappy people are those who constantly think they need "more" than this. Thinking negative quality of life thoughts? - I could seriously almost picture my difficult child living in a box under the bridge after dropping out of school in grade 5 or so. Thankfully we've gone much further than that, and now I just have to convince him that doing good school work and turning it in to get a better mark will get him further toward his thoughts of wanting to be a vet. If he just gets through high school and finds a job that he's happy with and supports himself, then I'll be happy.
 

Hound dog

Nana's are Beautiful
Fran

I think this is good.

Unfortunately I'm seeing that right now T's quality of life pretty much is in the toilet. :frown: I thought it was declining, just didn't realize to what extent.

Guess I'll have to start encouraging and pushing him again. *sigh* Sure would help if he could find a job.
 

Fran

Former desparate mom
<span style='font-size: 11pt'>For those of us whose difficult child's are somewhat on the fence between being able to live independently or not, having a check list of things that they must master helps us decide which is the best and safest route to go. It's unrealistic to put a young adult out in the world without these basic skills. It's also short changing our difficult child's if they have these skills and we are too afraid to let them go.

Daisylover, my difficult child is struggling also. I have picked up the trail again to work with some organization both private and govt through the office of Independent Living to see what's available. It's almost impossible to decipher where difficult child fits. Each state has a dept. of independent living that is supposed to help with all the things our son's need. I'll let you know if that is true. I burn out after a while and then something triggers a new burst of energy to keep looking.</span>
 
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