The term Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) frequently comes up in conversations about senior home care. It is an important indicator of how well an older adult is functioning and a means of determining when it may be time to enlist the support of family, friends and in-home health care professionals.
What are the main ADLs?
ADLs are everyday activities related to personal care. They include:
- Bathing or showering
- Getting dressed
- Getting in and out of bed, or up and down from a chair
- Using the toilet
- Eating
In addition, Instrumental ADLs are activities that require more complex thinking and organizational skills such as driving, shopping, cleaning house, cooking or managing household affairs.
A fully functioning person should be able to perform these tasks by themselves and without special equipment. If a person has difficulty performing an ADL or does not perform the activity at all because of health problems, the person may benefit from home care assistance.
How do I know if ADLs have become a problem?
Family and friends may start to notice changes in their loved one that indicate that ADLs are becoming more challenging, such as:
- A disheveled appearance, bad breath or wearing the same clothes without laundering them
- A messy house or spoiled food in the refrigerator
- Falls or changes in mobility
- Dents in the car
These are just a few examples of signs that help may be needed. In a clinical setting, health providers can more thoroughly evaluate someone on his or her ability to carry out ADLs; the Katz Index of Independence in Activities of Daily Living is one common assessment tool.
Getting help
Sometimes, modifications to a home environment or new approaches can make ADLs easier for seniors to do on their own. Enlisting the help of a qualified caregiver can also ensure that seniors receive the support they need to maintain a high level of independence and integrity at home.
Kadan Homecare’s personal care services include physical assistance with:
- Bathing and Hygiene
- Grooming and Dressing
- Toileting and Incontinence Care
- Mobility, Ambulation and Transfers
- Meal Preparation and Feeding
For more information, or to talk with our team to assess if you or a loved one would benefit from home care in Atlanta, call 770-396-8997 or email info@kadan.org.