Activities of daily living
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Activities of daily living (ADLs) is a term used in healthcare to refer to daily self-care activities within an individual's place of residence, in outdoor environments, or both. Health professionals routinely refer to the ability or inability to perform ADLs as a measurement of the functional status of a person, particularly in regards to people with disabilities and the elderly.
Basic ADLs
Basic ADLs (BADLs) consist of self-care tasks, including:
- Bathing and showering (washing the body)
- Bowel and bladder management (recognizing the need to relieve oneself)
- Dressing
- Eating (including chewing and swallowing)
- Feeding (setting up food and bringing it to the mouth)
- Functional mobility (moving from one place to another while performing activities)
- Personal device care
- Personal hygiene and grooming (including washing hair)
- Sexual activity
- Toilet hygiene (completing the act of relieving oneself)
A useful mnemonic is DEATH: dressing, eating, ambulating, toileting, hygiene.
Instrumental ADLs
Instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) are not necessary for fundamental functioning, but they let an individual live independently in a community:
- Housework
- Taking medications as prescribed
- Managing money
- Shopping for groceries or clothing
- Use of telephone or other form of communication
- Using technology (as applicable)
- Transportation within the community
A useful mnemonic is SHAFT: shopping, housekeeping, accounting, food preparation/meds, telephone/transportation.
Occupational therapists often evaluate IADLs when completing patient assessments. The American Occupational Therapy Association identifies 12 types of IADLs that may be performed as a co-occupation with others:
- Care of others (including selecting and supervising caregivers)
- Care of pets
- Child rearing
- Communication management
- Community mobility
- Financial management
- Health management and maintenance
- Home establishment and maintenance
- Meal preparation and cleanup
- Religious observances
- Safety procedures and emergency responses
- Shopping
See also
- Assisted living
- Care of residents
- Global Assessment of Functioning
- Long-term care
- Long term care insurance
- Nursing home
- Occupational therapy
- Transgenerational design
