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Daily living activities for children and young adults

Developmental Adaptive Daily Living (DADL) is the name of the service which refers to everyday activities such as eating and drinking, dressing, and personal care for blind, deafblind or vision-impaired young people (from birth to 18 years old).

DADL Instructors teach blind, deafblind and vision-impaired children and young adults to confidently carry out daily activities. Some of the techniques they use you can easily put in place in your home. For example:

Eating and drinking

Have:

• a defined area for eating e.g. a place mat or small tray
• a plate that contrasts in colour with the high chair tray, table, or table mat
• a plate that contrasts in colour with the food on it (e.g. white plate for meat and vegetables, dark bowl for yoghurt)
• a cup or glass of a contrasting colour to the drink (e.g. dark cup for milk, white or light colour for coloured drinks/juices)

Personal care

Red toothbrush on dark green vanity and white toothpaste (with attached lid) on blue bristles.

Have:

• a toothbrush in a colour contrasts with the bathroom vanity unit
• toothpaste (with an attached lid) in a colour that contrasts to the toothbrush bristles
• soap that contrasts in colour with the bath/basin
• extra lighting over the sink area
• taps with swivel spouts to reduce the breakages from knocking against protruding taps

Dressing

Use:

• socks which do not have a specific heel area
• sock tuckers to keep socks in pairs
• the seams to determine whether you are putting a garment on the right way
• different types of hangers (e.g. hang light coloured trousers on metal hangers, and dark ones on plastic hangers)
• talking watch

For more information, please contact Kate Kerr on phone 0800 24 33 33 or email: kkerr

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