Kohlman Evaluation of Living Skills (KELS)

Basic Information

• Title/Author(s):
  Kohlman Evaluation of Living Skills (KELS)
  Developed by: Linda Kohlman Thomson, MS, OTR
  
  

• Edition and Year:
  3rd Edition, 2016
  Published by the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA).
  
  

Assessment Details

• Identify TWO Types:
  
  

  • Criterion-referenced assessment
    
    

  • Occupation-based assessment
    
    

• Cost & Accessibility:
  
  

  • Cost:
    
    

    • $99 for AOTA members
      
      

    • $140 for non-members
      
      

    • Includes manual, scoring materials, and sample forms.
      
      

  • Access:
    
    

    • AOTA Store – KELS Product Page
      
      

    • Overview and Application – Shirley Ryan AbilityLab
      
      

Population & Setting

• Population:
  
  

  • Adults aged 18 years and older.
    
    

  • Appropriate for individuals with:
    
    

    • Cognitive impairments
      
      

    • Mental health conditions (e.g., schizophrenia, depression)
      
      

    • Neurological disorders (e.g., Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, traumatic brain injury)
      
      

• Settings:
  
  

  • Acute care hospitals
    
    

  • Inpatient psychiatric units
    
    

  • Nursing homes and skilled nursing facilities (SNFs)
    
    

  • Outpatient rehabilitation programs
    
    

  • Community-based transitional living centers
    
    

Purpose & Areas Assessed

• Purpose:
  
  

  • To evaluate a person's ability to perform basic living skills and determine appropriate living environments that promote safety, independence, and health.
    
    

• Areas Assessed (17 Core Items across 5 Domains):
  
  

  • Self-care (e.g., hygiene, dressing)
    
    

  • Safety and Health (e.g., awareness of emergency situations, medication management)
    
    

  • Money Management (e.g., paying bills, budgeting)
    
    

  • Community Mobility and Telephone Use (e.g., transportation options, making calls)
    
    

  • Employment and Leisure Participation (e.g., engagement in productive or leisure activities)
    
    

Administration & Scoring

• Administration:
  
  

  • Time Required: Approximately 45 minutes.
    
    

  • Format:
    
    

    • Administered individually through observation and interview.
      
      

    • Clinicians should:
      
      

      • Be brief and focused during questioning
        
        

      • Stay on topic related to each evaluated item
        
        

      • Avoid providing feedback about scores during testing
        
        

• User Qualifications:
  
  

  • Administered by occupational therapists and other trained rehabilitation professionals.
    
    

• Materials Required:
  
  

  • KELS kit including:
    
    

    • Digital manual (flash drive or online access)
      
      

    • Reading and writing forms
      
      

    • Household situation pictures
      
      

    • Sample telephone book and recorded message card
      
      

    • Deck of playing cards (for leisure assessment)
      
      

    • Currency (bills and coins), check form, bank information card, utility company card
      
      

    • Toothbrush
      
      

• Scoring Procedure:
  
  

  • No cumulative total score in the 3rd edition.
    
    

  • Each item is scored independently:
    
    

    • Independent (✓) or Needs Assistance (X)
      
      

  • Clinical judgment is used to develop recommendations for the most appropriate and least restrictive living situation based on functional abilities and support needs.
    
    

Psychometrics/Standardization

• Reliability:
  
  

  • Interrater reliability rated from adequate to excellent across studies.
    
    

  • Some evidence supports good internal consistency.
    
    

• Validity:
  
  

  • Construct validity established for use in adult mental health, cognitive rehabilitation, and geriatric settings.
    
    

• Norms:
  
  

  • Not norm-referenced; results are interpreted through clinical judgment rather than statistical norms.
    
    

Critical Thinking Sections

Strengths

• Widely applicable — Suitable for a variety of client populations across physical, mental, and cognitive rehabilitation.
  
  

• Real-world relevance — Focuses on practical daily life skills rather than abstract cognitive tasks.
  
  

• Quick and efficient — Completed in approximately 45 minutes.
  
  

• Standardized yet flexible — While structure is provided, the tool can be adapted to individual needs and clinical settings.
  
  

• Supports discharge and placement decisions — Provides actionable insights for transition planning.
  
  

Weaknesses

• Not a comprehensive cognitive assessment — Does not capture all aspects of executive functioning or higher-level cognition.
  
  

• Limited scope — Focuses specifically on basic functional skills rather than broader ADLs/IADLs.
  
  

• Client participation required — Not appropriate for individuals with severe cognitive, expressive, or receptive impairments.
  
  

• Scoring subjectivity — Relies on therapist’s clinical judgment rather than a numerical scoring system.
  
  

• Cost — Must be purchased, unlike some publicly available assessments.
  
  

References 

American Occupational Therapy Association. (2016). Kohlman Evaluation of Living Skills (KELS) (4th ed.). AOTA Press.

Shirley Ryan AbilityLab. (2019, April 26). Kohlman Evaluation of Living Skills (KELS). Rehabilitation Measures Database. https://www.sralab.org/rehabilitation-measures/kohlman-evaluation-living-skills

Ideas for OT. (n.d.). Kohlman Evaluation of Living Skills (KELS) overview. Retrieved March 20, 2025, from https://ideasforot.com/?page_id=275

AOTA. (2025). Shop AOTA - Kohlman Evaluation of Living Skills (KELS). Retrieved from https://myaota.aota.org/shop_aota/product/900374