Independent Living Skills Training (ILST)
Independent Living Skills Training (ILST) is paramount in allowing consumers to gain maximum control over their lives. Consumers learn skills needed to maintain an independent lifestyle. ILST sessions are tailored to the individual needs and abilities of the consumer. Sessions are conducted one-on-one and in small groups on such topics as:
- self-awareness
- communications
- problem-solving
- money management
- budgeting
- meal preparation
- planning
- social skills
- relationships
- laundry and clothing maintenance
- housekeeping
- planning
- emergency preparedness
- accessing community resources
SIL’s ILST Lab includes computer stations and a mock apartment in which hands-on skills such as laundry, meal preparation, and housekeeping can be enhanced.
If you would like more information, please contact SIL at 216-731-1529.
Information and Referral
All centers for independent living, including Services for Independent Living, are required to provide five core services which are as follows:
1) Information and referral services; 2) Independent Living Skills Training; 3) Peer Support; 4) Individual and Systems Advocacy and 5) Transition. Information & Referral (I & R) services is a vital service provided to individuals with disabilities, family members, social workers, and others in the community; and a primary means of promoting consumer empowerment.
A person may have disability-related needs, concerns and/or questions, and may not know where to go for answers. The I & R process allows SIL staff to help identify the issue(s), problem solve, and provide access to accurate and relevant information and/or local community resources necessary to support consumer independence and full integration in society.
For example, 1) a person who needs accessible and affordable housing may ask SIL for a list of accessible and affordable housing; 2) a person may want to know where he or she can obtain equipment such as grab bars, ramps, shower chairs, walkers, or wheelchairs. Other topics include, but are not limited to: assistive technology, basic needs, benefit maintenance, housing, personal assistance services, transportation, and community resources.
Once individuals with disabilities are educated and equipped with the appropriate and up-to-date information and resources, they are better able to make decisions, self-advocate, and increase their independence. The I & R process is often the gateway to providing those individuals with information about other services that SIL provides, such as the Equipment Program, Independent Living Skills Training, Peer Support groups, the S.P.I.C.E. cooking club or the Leadership Academy.
I & Rs also help SIL identify possible systems advocacy issues to work on. For example, SIL may receive numerous calls regarding the lack of accessible parking space at a particular place of public accommodation. This may result in advocacy to encourage the place of public accommodation to install the required accessible parking spaces.
In addition to assisting people with disabilities, SIL’s I & R program is available to provide appropriate information, resources, and knowledge to businesses, care providers, family members and the general public.
For example, 1) an agency looking to host a conference at a hotel may call SIL to inquire about obtaining ASL interpreters for attendees who are deaf or hard of hearing; 2) a family member, case manager or social worker may ask for a list of contractors who are experienced in providing home modifications for people with disabilities.
If you need assistance or guidance in accessing and/or utilizing resources, please contact SIL via telephone at 216-731-1529 or via SIL’s website.
Peer Support program
SIL’s Peer Support program is a core service program of Services for Independent Living (SIL). Peer Support provides emotional support and encouragement to consumers with disabilities. The target audience for Peer Support is people with all disabilities who desire to become more independent.
SIL’s Peer Support Program has three (3) program goals which are as follows:
- In both group and individual settings, Peer Support strives to empower consumers with disabilities to lead self-directed and inclusive lives in the setting they choose.
- Peer Support enables consumers with disabilities to develop goals and achieve them.
- Peer Support provides opportunities for consumers with disabilities to become mentors and volunteer Peer Consultants.
ABILITIES-R-US DISCUSSION GROUP
SIL’s Peer Support program also offers a monthly support discussion group called “Abilities-R-Us” with topics planned around resourceful information related to people with disabilities. SIL sends out monthly flyers announcing upcoming meetings to current and previous consumers as well as professionals to share with their consumer and community agencies who serve people with disabilities. Each meeting has a theme or topic and when appropriate, a speaker is invited to present on that topic. Suggestions for topics are provided by participants for future meetings.
S.P.I.C.E. COOKING CLUB
(Safety Practice Independent Cooking Enhancement)
This Fall, SIL introduced the S.P.I.C.E. Cooking Club, a virtual cooking club, which provides individuals with disabilities with live hands-on cooking sessions with SIL staff IL Specialist Trina Roddy right in the comfort of your own kitchen! These fun hands-on virtual cooking classes teach basic cooking skills, kitchen safety, food borne illness prevention, healthy recipes and how to use adaptive kitchen supplies. Sessions will also include vegan plant-based food and recipes.
A SIL Staff will deliver a recipe box to your door the day before by 5:00 PM. Each recipe box comes with easy step by step instructions and healthy recipes with fresh pre-packaged ingredients at no cost to you!
S.P.I.C.E. cooking club sessions are held every two weeks on the Zoom platform; the last session for 2020 will be held on November 11, 2020 at 12:00 pm. All participants must pre-register by completing an intake and a questionnaire to ensure safety regarding food allergies intolerances.
If you would like to be added to the Peer Support email group and receive notifications about the Abilities-R-Us Support Group meetings and/or other peer support programming, please contact Trina Roddy at troddy@sil-oh.org or 216-389-2379.