Generally, older adults need to be able to perform basic functions in order to live independently and maintain a high quality of life. Managing Medications – this includes being able to obtain medications and take them as prescribed.Managing Communication – such as telephone and mail.Housekeeping and Home Maintenance – this includes cleaning up the kitchen after meals, cleaning the house and keeping it reasonably tidy, and keeping up with home maintenance.It also includes shopping for clothing and other necessities required for daily living. Shopping and Meal Preparation – this includes everything necessary to get food on the table.Managing Transportation – either by driving or coordinating other modes of transportation.Managing Finances – such as paying bills and managing financial assets.The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) recognizes the following 12 (IADL’s). Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL’s) include cooking, cleaning, transportation, laundry, and managing finances. Continence / Toileting – these activities include both bowel and bladder management and the ability to physically use the restroom without assistance.Personal Hygiene – these activities include bathing/showering, grooming, nail care, and oral care.Dressing – being able to make appropriate clothing decisions and physically dress and undress oneself.Feeding – this includes the ability to feed oneself, but not necessarily being able to prepare one’s own meals.Ambulating – this includes being able to stand from a sitting position, being able to get in and out of bed, and having the ability to walk independently from one location to another.The exact number of ADL’s vary depending on who you are talking to but most experts agree on 5 basic ADL’s. While basic ADL’s concern physical tasks, instrumental activities of daily living (IADL’s) deal with activities that are of a higher order and require complex thinking. However, many older adults or people with disabilities may find it difficult to perform one or more of the ADL’s and will need assistance. Most younger people are able to perform these activities on their own. What are activities of daily living?Īctivities of daily living, referred to as ADL’s, are those activities necessary for maintaining an independent lifestyle and a high qualify of life. In this article I will discuss what ADL’s are and provide you with a downloadable caregiver ADL checklist you can customize for your own needs. Using a Caregiver ADL Checklist will help you and your caregiver identify and document the activities that your loved one needs assistance with. However, according to AARP, there are over 1 million people in the United States over 50 who require assistance with such activities of daily living (ADL’s). Getting out of bed in the morning, brushing your teeth, taking a shower, and eating breakfast are activities many of us do without giving a second thought.
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