Kohlman Evaluation of Living Skills (KELS)

Introduction

Occupational therapy evaluation designed to determine a person's ability to function in basic living skills.

Indications

• assistance with discharge planning, especially in the setting of limited time for assessment
• in some states, the KELS is used in court for determination of commitment & gravely disabled cases

Clinical significance

Goals:

• successful integration of an individual into his/her environment
• assist medical team & family help a person to live as independently & safely as possible

Procedure

Administration of the KELS takes 30-45 minutes.

17 living skills are tested under 5 areas*.

* Assistance that must be provided if KELS item is scored 'needs assistance'

• self-care
  • appearance {a}
  • frequency of self-care activities (report) {a}
• safety health
  • awareness of dangerous household situations (from photographs) {b}
  • identification of appropriate action for sickness & accidents {b}
  • knowledge of emergency numbers {b}
  • knowledge of location of medical & dental facilities {c}
• money management
  • use of money in purchasing items {d}
  • obtain & maintain source of income {e}
  • budgeting of money for food {f}
  • budgeting of monthly income {g}
  • use of banking forms {e}
  • payment of bills {e}
• transportation & telephone
  • mobility within community {c}
  • basic knowledge of transit system {c}
  • use of phone book & telephone {a}
• work & leisure
  • plans for employment {N/A}
  • leisure activity involvement {a}

{a} discharged to community-living with other(s) competent to provide assistance
{b} discharged to community-living with other(s) & receiving constant supervision
{c} transportation provided by someone else#
{d} shopping done by someone else
{e} paying bills & banking done by someone else
{f} budgeting of money for food done by someone else
{g} budgeting of monthly income done by someone else
{N/A} generally, not applicable to geriatric population

Equipment:

• reading & writing form
• pencil
• household situation pictures (4)
• phone book(s)
• deck of cards
• bar of soap
• 2 one dollar bills
• 1 half dollar
• 2 quarters
• 1 dime
• 4 pennies
• budget form
• checking account form
• bill
• Taxi Company Card
• Connected telephone
• Recorded Message Card
• Score sheet

Notes

• originally created in 1977 for use in a short-term inpatient psychiatry ward by Linda Kohlman Thompson, MOT, OTR, OT(C), FAOTA

More general terms

• clinical procedure

Additional terms

• activities of daily living (ADL)
• occupational therapy (OT)