Describe the Issue or Situation: Adults with disabilities often face challenges in achieving and maintaining an independent living lifestyle due to limited access to practical education and skills training. Many adults in this population rely on caregivers for daily tasks, which can impact their confidence and autonomy. Capacity Care, a therapy center and provider of in-home, non-medical care for seniors and persons with disabilities, identified a need to provide structured learning opportunities for their clients to develop essential life skills. 

Describe the Outreach or Educational Program Response (and Partners, if applicable): a monthly life skills class was initiated in partnership with Capacity Care. The program ran for a year, offering practical, hands-on instruction in areas critical to fostering independence, such as nutrition, cooking, laundry, and other essential household management skills. Each session lasted 1 to 1.5 hours, providing a balance between instruction and participant engagement. The classes were designed to be interactive and adapted to meet the diverse abilities and needs of participants. For example, cooking sessions included step-by-step demonstrations and practice making simple, healthy meals, while laundry classes provided tactile, visual, and verbal cues to guide participants through sorting, washing, drying, and folding clothes. 

Provide the Number and Description(s) of Participants/Target Audience: The program served 10-15 adults with disabilities, aged 30 to 60, each month. Participants came from varied backgrounds, reflecting a wide range of abilities and needs. All participants were clients of Capacity Care, who had identified a desire to enhance their daily living skills. 

Provide a Statement of Outcomes or Program Impact. Please note that the outcomes statement must use evaluation data to describe the change(s) that occurred in individuals, groups, families, businesses, or in the community because of the program/outreach.: Participants reported feeling a greater sense of accomplishment and pride, which positively impacted their overall well-being. The program fostered a supportive community among participants, the success of the initiative has prompted Capacity Care to explore expanding the curriculum to include additional topics such as financial literacy and technology use in this next year 2025.