Why do we encourage independence?

There are many reasons for encouraging independence:

• What we do helps us to define who we are. When talking with new acquaintances we inevitably ask questions like “what did you do on the weekend?” or “what do you do?”.
• When we complete a task or activity we gain a sense of achievement that helps us feel good about ourselves
• Being able to complete an activity works to increase our sense of control we feel in our day to day life. It allows us to do things they way we want them done.
• Increases the number of choices a person has
• Can make it easier for carers and families to support a person. Thus reduce a carer’s stress.

Promoting / teaching independence can sometimes be a slow and difficult process. An example may be assisting someone to "shower and dress". It is often the case that it would be quicker to "do" the task for the client. However allowing the client extra time may result in them being able to complete part or all of the task on their own.