Given their physical dependency the conclusion is close at hand to consider them as dependent on others also emotionally and intellectually. Somebody who cannot pull up his or her pants like a small child, may be treated as a small child in other areas as well. It is no surprise then that the Independent Living philosophy is most easily grasped by people who need personal assistance. Personal assistance enables the user to carry out such every-day activities as bathing and dressing, and going to the toilet. It includes household chores like shopping, preparing meals and cleaning.
Assistants help the user at work, about town and on travel.
They assist in communicating or in structuring the day, as the case might be. In brief, assistants help with those activities which the user would have done by himself or herself, had it not been for a physical, sensory, mental or intellectual disability. It is recognised that users with intellectual and mental disabilities will need support from third persons with these functions. Inherent in these solutions is their hierarchical structure with the user at the bottom. Also, users are forced to share the common staff which, in itself, reduces choices and freedom of movement.