Activities of daily living are the daily tasks that we do to take care of ourselves. These are things like bathing or eating that most people take for granted, but these tasks become more difficult as we grow older.
According to the CDC, 11.6% of adults 75 years old and above have limitations with their activities of daily living (ADLs), and 19.4% need help with their instrumental activities of daily living (IDALs).
Before we can get our loved ones the help they need, we must first understand what activities of daily living are and the types of assistance are available.
The basic activities of daily living (ADLs) can be defined as the fundamental skills required to care for yourself and remain independent. Like the name implies, these tasks are done every day. These are sometimes referred to as functional activities of daily living.
The exact list of ADLs can vary depending on what assessment you use. Some of the most common are discussed below.
Dr. Sidney Katz coined the term activities of daily living in 1950. Katz Index of Independence in Activities of Daily Living is one the most commonly used assessments today.
According to Katz, the six activities of daily living are:
Some organizations combine toileting and continence. This makes the 5 Activities of Daily Living:
Many organizations also consider broader hygiene tasks and mobility basic activities of daily living. The addition of these tasks makes the simplest Activities of Daily Living list consist of:
Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs) can be defined as the complex tasks required to live independently. These require more cognitive and organizational skills.
Lawton and Brody developed the Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale in 1969 to assess the skills that are required to live independently.
Examples of instrumental activities of daily livings are as follows:
Activities of Daily Living assess a person’s functional level. Their level of independence is determined by whether they can perform their ADLs without assistance.
Go through this checklist of ADLs and IADLs and mark what level of assistance is required for each task.
Sometimes people’s pride or lack of objectivity can cause them to not be realistic about their capability to manage their activities of daily living.
If this is the case, you may need to determine if they need assistance by looking for signs that these tasks are not being managed.
Some examples of activities of daily living include:
Talk to your loved one and use your best judgment to help you assess their functional level.
People can get help with activities of daily living from either assistive devices and/or by hiring caregivers.
There are assistive devices to help with most ADLs. Below are some commonly used aids to help with activities of daily living.
Mobility:
Dressing:
Bathing / Showering:
Grooming:
Toileting:
Eating:
Managing Medication:
Shopping:
Most items can now be delivered if going to the store proves difficult.
Communication:
Transportation:
There are many types of vehicle modifications, such as wheelchair lifts or transfer seats. Seniors also have a wide variety of transportation options.
Assistive technology may not be enough to allow your loved one to perform their activities of daily living on their own. If your loved one wants to remain independent in their own home but requires assistance with activities of daily living, home care can be a great option.
Home care providers tailor their services to each person’s individual needs.
Our caregivers can help people with their ADLs, including helping with eating, bathing, grooming, dressing, going to the bathroom, and moving around.
They can also help with their instrumental activities of daily living by driving your loved one around, helping with shopping, ensuring medication compliance, and doing meal preparation, housekeeping, and laundry.
For those in the Monterey Bay or Santa Cruz area, give us a call today at (831) 708-2876 or reach us online to find out more about our personal care services!
