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Activities of Daily Living: What are ADLs and IADLs
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The senior care industry uses the terms activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) to describe a person's level of functioning in performing everyday tasks.
Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)
A person who needs help with ADLs can be evaluated by a social worker or qualified professional at an assisted living facility. Social workers and geriatric care managers will determine the elderly person's care needs, find appropriate services, and track that person's needs as they change. There are six basic categories of ADLs:
- Hygiene (bathing, grooming, shaving and oral care)
- Continence
- Dressing
- Eating (the ability to feed oneself)
- Toileting (the ability to use a restroom)
- Transferring (actions such as going from a seated to standing position and getting in and out of bed)
In an assisted living facility, the amount of help one needs with ADLs determines the resident's needed level of care. Typically, the cost of care for each individual is based on the level of care he or she requires. To learn more about costs of care and how they are determined by assisted living facilities, click here.
Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs)
IADLs are more nuanced and complex social activities than ADLs. IADLs can include, but are not limited to:
- Finding and utilizing resources (looking up phone numbers, using a telephone, making and keeping doctors appointments)
- Driving or arranging travel (either by public transportation, such as Paratransit, or private car)
- Preparing meals (opening containers, using kitchen equipment)
- Shopping (getting to stores and purchasing necessities like food or clothing)
- Doing housework (doing laundry, cleaning up spills and maintaining a clean living space)
- Managing medication (taking prescribed dosages at correct times and keeping track of medications)
- Managing finances (basic budgeting, paying bills and writing checks)
Many seniors who live independently can perform most or all IADLs sufficiently. Difficulty in performing some IADLs can indicate that more help is needed. In this situation, it is common for family caregivers to lend assistance with tasks such as managing their loved one's medications or bill payment. Remaining at home is an option if the elderly individual needs help with just a few IADLs and can be assisted by family caregivers or homecare aides.
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