The Assessment of life habits (LIFE-H) is a questionnaire that is used to collect information on all life habits that people carry out in their environment (home, workplace or school, neighborhood) to ensure their survival and development in society throughout their lifetime. In other words, based on the perspective of the person or respondent, the LIFE-H measures the accomplishment of life habits and identifies the disabling situations experienced.

Anyone, regardless of age, cultural context, impairments or disabilities, can respond to the LIFE-H. Although certain life habits are sometimes carried out differently or with the use of technical aids, adaptation or human assistance, overall, these people carry out the same daily activities and fulfill the same social roles as those without disabilities. If necessary, people can be partially or fully supported by a respondent or caregiver in order to complete the LIFE-H.

The information collected using the LIFE-H can support carrying out individualized intervention plans, program evaluation initiatives, service development, research activities, etc.

The life habits comprised on the LIFE-H

The Assessment of Life Habits (LIFE-H) includes two categories of life habits, which comprises daily activities and social roles.  

Application of the LIFE-H

There are three different application of the LIFE-H:

• Children from birth to 4 years of age
• Children from 5 to 13 years of age
• General (teenagers, adults and seniors)

Three user guides were developed to facilitate the administration of the Assessment of Life habits (LIFE-H). For each life habits, the guides propose an analysis of the different tasks composing it with, if need be, further details showing how it can be carried out, as well as examples of quotation regarding the accomplishment level and the types of assistance required.

Characteristics of the LIFE-H

• They can be administered to all the persons with disabilities, no matter the cause, the nature and the severity of their disabilities.
• They are designed to assess the respondent’s perception, in regard to the level of accomplishment of their life habits.
• They rely on a clear segmentation between the “personal factors”, “environmental factors” and “life habits” conceptual domains.
• They recognize the existence of an interaction between these three conceptual domains

Modes of administration of the LIFE-H

The LIFE-H can be administered in a variety of ways, depending on the capabilities of the respondent, the information needs and the context. However, situations exist where the instructions and statements complexity limit or prevent people from answering this assessment tool. Respondents identification criteria were developed to identify which, of the person, the relative or caregiver or the service provider, are best placed to collect the data regarding the perception of the concerned person.  This choice is important since it guarantees the validity of the received information from the respondent.

 Three modes of administration of the LIFE-H are proposed:

• In an autonomous way by the person, a relative or a significant close relation;
• By the person with the support of a relative, of a significant other or a service provider;
• By a service provider.

The mode of administration “in a autonomous way by the person, a relative or a significant other” should always be privileged when possible. The mode of administration “by a service provider” should be employed only if the person does not meet the respondent identification criteria of methods1 and 2.