Routine activities that people tend to do every day without assistance are referred to as Activities of daily living (ADL).
Basic Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)
- Eating: chewing, swallowing, drinking
- Bathing and showering
- Personal hygiene and grooming: brushing, combing, styling hair
- Dressing
- Toilet hygiene: getting to the toilet, cleaning oneself, and getting back up
- Functional mobility (also called “transferring”): walking, getting in or out of bed, sitting down or standing up
Hierarchy to the ADLs: hygiene, toilet use and locomotion, eating.
Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs)
- Cleaning and maintaining the house
- Managing money
- Moving within the community
- Preparing meals
- Shopping for groceries and necessities
- Taking prescribed medications
- Using the telephone or other form of communication
Though IADLs are not necessary for fundamental functioning, they allow the individual to live independently within a community.
Bristol Activities of Daily Living Scale is a tool to help you assess your parent’s current independence.
