ADLs, or Activities Of Daily Living, are self-care activities that anyone must undertake to live a regular, independent life. You may refer to this valuable checklist of everyday tasks. We recommend that you evaluate your loved one’s ability to perform the following tasks before determining whether or not they require assistance (such as an in-home health aide or moving into an assisted living facility).
Eating
Is your loved one able to feed themselves? Please keep in mind that this ADL only applies to providing themselves; if your loved one is unable to prepare meals but can still feed themselves, they will pass this ADL. Physical failure to swallow, difficulty swallowing food, and difficulty moving food from the plate to the mouth are common eating complications.
Personal Hygiene and Bathing
Is your loved one clean when you visit? Do they go to the bathroom daily? Should they take care of their teeth? A foul body, soiled clothes, unkempt hair, long and dirty fingernails odour are all signs that your loved one cannot maintain proper grooming habits.
Dressing Up
Is your loved one capable of dressing themselves? If that’s the case, have they regained the ability to make appropriate clothing choices? Because of their limited mobility, your loved one can have trouble dressing their lower body (such as socks, underwear, and pants) or upper body (such as shirts) (such as shirts and coats).
Grooming
Do they use a comb to style their hair? Are your loved one’s toenail and fingernail groomed and filed? Is their makeup applied (and removed) correctly, and is their facial hair well-groomed?
Being Mobile
The ability of your loved one to get about without the use of a walker, wheelchair, or cane is also used as a criterion for mobility. Mobility also refers to your loved one’s ability to get out of bed, onto and off the toilet, climb and descend stairs, and sit and rise from a sofa or other piece of furniture.
Continence & Toileting
Both bowel and bladder control are included in this group. Is it possible for your loved one to use the toilet independently? If they have the physical ability?
Why Do You Evaluate Your Loved One’s Needs Using Instrumental Activities of Daily Living?
These ADLs mentioned are the most fundamental tasks that everyone must complete daily. When your loved one loses the opportunity to do one or more of these things, their quality of life will suffer significantly. Do not abandon your loved one in a hospital, starving, or at risk of infection due to poor hygiene. Your loved one should not be left to deal with basic needs alone; seek support to maintain their dignity and quality of life.
The six ADLs give you a clear picture of the challenges your loved one is facing. In addition, these ADLs are such a good predictor of required living assistance that several organizations use to make decisions about what resources are needed.
What Do You Do If You Notice Your Loved One’s Condition Is Getting Worse?
If your loved one is having trouble with one or more ADLs, it’s time to consider seeking help. You will need to offer in-home care assistance or transfer them to an assisted living facility, depending on the level of their inability.