#badls

[pixierainbows]

30daysofautismacceptance

April 11th: What are some things that might come easy to neurotypical people, but which you either can't do or need help to do?

On good days , Pixie need help/prompting with Most basic Activities of daily living ( bADLs ) .

basic ADLs like eating , showering , and using toilet , Pixie need help with remembering to do ( prompting ) . need help get started like getting shower on and removing clothes , get First bite of food in mouth , things like that .

On good days , Pixie can never do , and need someone else do for Pixie , most Instrumental activities of daily living (iADLs) . like preparing meals, managing money, shopping, doing housework , using telephone , Taking Medicines , transportation ( Pixie uses disabled Access bus and but still need help with it ) , paying bills , Seeing / communicating with doctors , managing chronic illnesses like asthma and migraines , things like that . All these make Pixie dependent on guardians to do for Pixie . and . is Why Judge in court say Pixie “ incompetent “ and need legal guardianship to protect Pixie .

On bad days Pixie need even more help especially with basic ADLs . like . needing help with getting food from bowl to mouth . physically washing body in shower . physically being moved to where need go , like walking to bathroom or to Pixies room , things like that .

Pixie will never be is be able live alone . and . will always need lots help from guardians and caregivers .

[themogaidragon]

Support Needs Pride Flags

PT: Support Needs Pride Flags /end PT

These are all disabilities inclusive, since the my former ones are exclusive to autism (link). These flags are inclusive of all disabilities.

Disclaimer: support needs aren't monoliths, they don't have clear ends and starts, the definitions presented here are just attempts at defining what they are.

More information and ressources about support needs on @birdofmay on this post (link).

Here is the Wikipedia page (link) about basic activities of daily living (BADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLS).

High Support Needs

PT: High Support Needs /end PT

High Support Needs: inability to live independently, requiring global support with BADLs and IADLs. This can include frequently or consistently requiring support with: self-feeding, cooking, bathing, functional mobility, transportation, basic grooming, putting on makeup, continence, toileting, getting dressed, completing tasks, housekeeping, managing medication and money, transportation, etc.

Can be abbreviated online or in writing as HSN(D) for High Support Needs (Disability) or HS(D)P for High Support (Disabled) Person.

Moderate Support Needs

PT: Moderate Support Needs /end PT

Moderate Support Needs: ability varying to live independently from person to person, requiring support with IADLs and some BADLs. This can include frequently or consistently requiring support with: cooking, preparing meals, self-feeding, completing tasks, transportation and mobility, toileting, washing one self, getting dressed, housekeeping, managing medication or money, using communication devices, grocery shopping, pet care, etc.

Can be abbreviated online or in writing as MSN(D) for Moderate Support Needs (Disability) or MS(D)P for Moderate Support (Disabled) Person.

Low Support Needs

PT: Low Support Needs /end PT

Low support needs: ability more often than not to live independently, requiring support uniquely with IADLs. This can include frequently or consistently requiring support with: balancing a checkbook, cooking and preparing meals, pet care, housekeeping, managing medication or money, shopping, transportation, getting started on some tasks like organizing a garage sale or arranging to move from one house to another, etc.

Can be abbreviated online or in writing as LSN(D) for Low Support Needs (Disability) or LS(D)P for Low Support (Disabled) Person.

Flux Support Needs

PT: Flux Support Needs /end PT

Flux Support Needs: ability fluctuating to live independently, requiring support at fluctuating intensity with BADLs and/or IADLs, so much that it cannot be considered low, moderate, high or in between those. Fluctuations can be random, have causes, vary in length and frequency.

Can be abbreviated online or in writing as FSN(D) for Flux Support Needs (Disability) or FS(D)P for Flux Support (Disabled) Person.

Moderate to High Support Needs

PT: Moderate to High Support Needs /end PT

Moderate to High Support Needs: inability to live independently, requiring support bordering between moderate and high. This includes but isn't limited to: being on the high end of MSN, being on the low end of HSN, requiring support with most of BADLs but not globally, requiring support globally with BADLs but moderately, etc.

Can be abbreviated online or in writing as MHSN(D) for Moderate to High Support Needs (Disability) or MHS(D)P for Moderate to High Support (Disabled) Person.

Low to Moderate Support Needs

[pt: Low to Moderate Support Needs /end pt]

Low to Moderate Support Needs: significant difficulty to live independently, requiring support bordering between low and moderate. This includes but isn't limited to: being on the high end of LSN, being on the low end of MSN, requiring severe support with IADLs and a few or mild support with BADLs, etc.

Can be abbreviated online or in writing as LMSN(D) for Low to Moderate Support Needs (Disability) or LMS(D)P for Low to Moderate Support (Disabled) Person.

[autism-polls]

Autistic people, do you have a caregiver or support provider?

I am autistic and I do not have a caregiver/support provider.

I am autistic and I have a caregiver/support provider some of the time.

I am autistic and I have a caregiver/support provider at least half of the time.

I am autistic and I have a full-time caregiver/support provider.

I am autistic and have a caregiver/support provider due to another disability.

I want to say something else. (tags and comments)

Not Autistic / See Results

Voting ended onJan 1, 2025

In this post, I use "caregiver" and "support provider" to mean someone who majorly supports you with life functions (like bADLs and ADLs). This might be a healthcare provider, family member, 1:1 support staff, friend, or someone else. They may or may not be paid to do this job.

They might help do things like feed you, help you with toileting, drive you, moving you from place to place, help with finances, keep your house clean, scheduling appointments, or provide 24/7 support.

This post is not asking about if you are an underage person who is under the care of your parents because you are a child.

If you are underage, you might still have or need a caregiver, but I am asking about a caregiver who helps with your disability specifically. Not just because you are a minor.

[zebulontheplanet]

Hi, I hope you are well. I was wondering if you could help me figure out if I am LSN (Low Support Needs) or MSN (Middle Support Needs)? I understand if not, but it would be really appreciated, my psychologist is not qualified to make that assessment. I can explain more if you're okay with it :) Thanks either way.

Hey anon! I can’t tell you if you’re medium or low support needs. I’m simply a stranger on the internet! I don’t know you, your journey, your life, nothing.

What I can tell you is what I know so hopefully it can help you figure it out. Here’s what I know!

Low support needs = Needs help with just IADLs and can live independently to semi independently

Medium support needs = Needs help with IADLs and some bADLs and can live semi independently or not independently

High support needs = Needs help with IADLs and bADLs across the board. Can not live independently.

IADLs = shopping, communication (phone calls, emails, paperwork), cooking, paying bills, managing chores and house work

bADLs = feeding, dressing, bathing/grooming, walking, transferring, toileting.

Hope this helps you! Have a lovely day. If you have any further questions then let me know!

[sillylandmagic]

Updated post on my basic activities of daily living as a person with mid-high support needs

Eating:

On school days I can make myself a simple breakfast(cereal or toast) and eat it with a visual prompt. I will not eat lunch or dinner without some verbal prompts and a visual prompt by someone else. On non-school days I will sometimes get breakfast myself but will usually forget. I won’t eat snacks without visual prompts and even with those I usually don’t get up and get a snack. I struggle with bringing the food to my mouth, chewing, swallowing, and using cutlery. If I didn’t have someone to tell me “lunch/dinner is ready, come eat” then I would simply not eat. I need instense support for this task.

Bathing:

I have to be verbally prompted a few times for me to take a shower, I can usually “wash” my hair(due to motor skill issues, not effective), and wash my privates myself with step by step visuals. Sometimes my mom helps me wash my hair and blow dry it after a shower. I require a shower chair and something to hold onto to transfer into a standing position, since I always need something to push off of/pull up on. Even though I can physically do this basic task, it’s not effective or done in a way that cleans me. I need intense support for this task, which even then isn’t very effective.

Grooming:

I can brush my hair, but it’s usually not effective to be due to having both thick hair and issues with fine motor skills. I can wash my hands with a visual prompt, and dry them off after using the toilet. For things like deodorant, nail clipping, and body hair upkeep; I need full physical support with.

Toileting:

I will not bring myself to the bathroom without a visual prompt, and have poor interoception so I cannot tell when I need to go. I have what’s known as urge incontinence, where I cannot feel my bladder until it’s completely full and I’m about to have an accident. I use visuals to transition to the bathroom and toilet, I use a visual body chart to show that if I’m feeling pressure in my privates or butt, that means I need to go toilet. Due to weak fingers, I cannot wipe myself completely, and usually end up with wet underwear. I have near-accidents every day. Yes, both bladder and bowel. I require intense support for this, but it’s still not effective.

Dressing:

I can dress myself into a new shirt for a school day with step by step visuals. But will not change my clothes or underwear and other time. I use visuals to dress myself in every piece of clothing you can think of. I usually wear slip on pants so I don’t have to do zips or clasps. I will not dress myself if I am not prompted visually or verbally. I cannot dress myself without intense support.

Mobility:

I need railings or physical support to walk up stairs, I always need a surface to pull up on or push off of, to get from the floor to the ground. I use athletic shoes everyday when outside my house so my ankles are supported, but they are getting old and do not support me as well. I need someone to hold onto when crossing the street, as there can be uneven areas and I could trip or stumble easily. I need some support with this.

Transferring:

I can move myself from a sitting to standing position with a surface to push off/pull up to. I can fully move myself from one area to another, I need only a little support for this.

[autisticdreamdrop]

autistic things 68

struggling doing your hair, choosing and putting on clothing, bathing and brushing your teeth

[zebulontheplanet]

hi ! i've been suspected to be autistic since i was 7 but didn't get a legal diagnosis bc of neglect and i'm now seeking a diagnosis at 19. everybody believes that i am autistic it's just a matter of getting the appointment. i saw this and i was like ":0 i'm still confused" lol

my question is, when i look up bADLs examples they all show stuff about being physically able to do those things. i can physically feed myself fine but i won't do it without prompting and even then it's very difficult for me to eat in general so it's not a good idea for me to live alone cus i passed out a couple times. but i am technically able to feed myself so then does that mean i am not medium support needs? sorry if this is too vague.

Hello! I can’t tell you if you’re medium support needs or not, and I won’t because I don’t know you.

Just a by the way, feeding yourself doesn’t mean physically getting food or making food. For a bADL, it means getting the food from your plate to your mouth. If you need help with that then that’s a bADL. If someone could set food in front of you and you’d eat it by yourself, then that doesn’t count as needing help with a bADL, that’s a iADL. There’s a grey area between prompting and needing help, and I honestly can’t tell you. That’s your own journey that you need to go through and learn.

I’m just simply here to educate and say what the community has been saying lol. Have a lovely day! If you have any further questions then let me know.

[zebulontheplanet]

Two questions if you don’t mind:

Can level 1 autistics be medium support needs?

What would you say the line between low and medium support needs is in terms of ADLs, generally?

Hi anon! So, the levels of autism and support needs pretty much line up well. So someone with level 1 autism will likely be low support needs, someone with level 2 autism will likely be medium support needs, and someone with level 3 autism will be high support needs.

However, someone with level 1 autism could theoretically be medium support needs. Autism levels aren’t perfect. They don’t take certain things into account, and sometimes professionals will take social and RRB (repetitive and restrictive behaviors) into account when they are diagnosing (which they should), instead of also taking support needs and care into account as well. Could a level 1 be high support needs? No, not at all likely. However, I’ve met level 2s who are high support needs. It all depends.

The line is bADLs. Things like bathing, eating (getting the food from the plate to your mouth), grooming, dressing, toileting, and more is the line. If you can’t do bADLs then you’re higher support needs. If you can, then you’re likely lower support needs.

Again, I’m not a professional, I can’t say if someone is low, medium, or high support needs. I can’t say what level is what. I can’t say anything besides my own research and observations.

Hope this explains some and if you have anymore questions then let me know! Have a lovely day! I also have what support needs mean and what they are in my pinned post in the FAQ post.