Everycare Hastings – Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)
Difficulties with ADLs and IADLs often correspond to how much help, supervision, and hands-on care an older person needs.
This can determine whether a senior is considered “safe” to live at home, or even whether a person is eligible for certain long-term care services.
Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)
These are the basic self-care tasks that we initially learn as very young children. They are sometimes referred to as “Basic Activities of Daily Living” (BADLs). They include:
- Walking, or otherwise getting around the home or outside.
- Feeding, as in being able to get food from a plate into one’s mouth.
- Dressing and grooming, as in selecting clothes, putting them on, and adequately managing one’s personal appearance.
- Toileting, which means getting to and from the toilet, using it appropriately, and cleaning oneself.
- Bathing, which means washing one’s face and body in the bath or shower.
- Transferring, which means being able to move from one body position to another. This includes being able to move from a bed to a chair, or into a wheelchair.
For each ADL, people can vary from needing just a little help (such as a reminder or “stand-by assist”) to full dependency, which requires others to complete the task for them.
Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs)
These are the self-care tasks that require more complex thinking skills, including organisational skills. They include:
- Managing finances
- Managing transportation, either via driving or by organising other means of transport.
- Shopping and meal preparation.
- Housecleaning and home maintenance.
- Managing communication, such as the telephone and mail.
- Managing medications, which covers obtaining medications and taking them as directed.
Please contact us today for a FREE home care assessment and find out how Everycare Hastings can support you to independently remain at home and still maintain your Activities of Daily Living. Call 01424 868443.
