Activities of Daily Living
Definition
Activities of daily living (ADLs) are the most basic and fundamental functions of self-care, and they are used to describe the functional status or ► functional ability of a person, usually with reference to older people or people needing long-term care. There are several dimensions of ADLs and people are classified as independent or dependent on each of them. These functions are bathing, dressing, using the toilet, transferring in and out of beds or chairs, continence, and eating. As continence is more indicative of a physiological state than a function, it is often removed from the ADL measures. Another term, “instrumental activities of daily living” (IADLs), describes activities that are not necessary for fundamental functioning but needed for independence in the respective environment or community. This includes activities like cooking, cleaning, laundry, shopping, making and receiving telephone calls, driving or using public transportation, and taking medicines.
Tags: adl, adls, beds, chairs, continence, functional ability, functional status, fundamental functions, instrumental activities, laundry, long term care, medicines, physiological state, public transportation, self care, Shopping, toilet
