Activities of daily living (ADLs) are activities related to personal care. These make up the bulk of caregiver duties when getting a care recipient ready for the day. These activities include hygiene and bathing/showering, dressing, getting in and out of bed or a chair, walking, toileting (whether in the bed, using a bedside commode, or the toilet-and the clean up afterwards), and eating
While it may seem obvious, from a healthcare professional’s perspective, determining the ability for someone to perform ADLs is an indication of how safe a person may be in their home. If your loved one is in a hospital or nursing home you may hear the term used in various conversations and it’s abbreviation is what’s typically used.
Occupational therapists are generally the professionals that specialize in assessing the ability to perform ADLs and instruct as needed in exercises, activities and equipment that will allow for the greatest amount of independence with ADL performance that’s needed to keep a person as functionally independent as possible.
Listen for this term when interacting with an occupational therapist or use the phrase when requesting the services of a therapist when speaking with the primary care physician.