Which statement defines Independent Assist?

• A. Therapist is within arm reach to provide cues
• B. Patient can perform the transfer with no verbal cues but needs manual assistance
• C. Patient relies on the therapist to position and provide some help
• D. Patient can perform the transfer without any verbal or manual assistance

Answer: (D)

The main idea here is independence in performing a task without any prompts or hands-on help. Independent means the patient completes the transfer safely and in a reasonable time without verbal cues or physical assistance from the therapist. That’s why the statement describing doing the transfer without any verbal or manual assistance is the best fit. The other options imply some form of therapist involvement—cues, positioning, or direct help—which means the patient isn’t performing independently. (Note: using a device can still be independent in many scoring systems, but this option specifies no assistance, matching independence.)