Personal Care

     
		
	
What it is

An area of student need, involving hygiene, dressing, toileting and/or eating.

Teaching Strategies

Instructional

• Implement strategies suggested by an occupational and/or physical therapist.
• Develop and implement alternate programming on the student’s IEP, pertaining to personal care, self-advocacy, peer social skills, etc.
• Provide extra time for personal care needs to be met.
• Develop a schedule for staff support for the student.
• Assess the current level of functioning and plan for tasks that the student can do.
• Allow extra time for task completion.
• Use assistive technology.
• Encourage and reward efforts in self-care.
• Privately talk to the student about self-care.

Environmental

• Use preferential seating, so that the student has extra room and can easily enter and exit.
• Provide access to elevators.
• Provide access to lockers with extra space.
• Provide availability and usage of accessible washrooms.
• Ensure staff is available for toileting.
• Provide the necessary supplies in the washroom.
• Post visual/written steps for self-care procedures in the washroom.
• Ensure materials are reachable.
• Develop emergency evacuation procedures and post these.
• Provide a large/table desk to accommodate a wheel chair, if used.

Assessment

• Provide extra time.
• Use computers and assistive equipment/technology.
• Use oral tests and/or a scribe.
• Allow breaks for self-care and/or to combat fatigue.
• Provide a choice in assessments, so that the student can utilize his/her strengths.



Resources
Student Needs IPRC Exceptionalites Diagnosed Conditions