ADL’s or Activities of Daily Living are the basic or routine activities we do every day without needing assistance. As we get older these tend to become more difficult and especially after an injury, ADL’s and the performance of them can prove to be a challenge.
What are ADL’s ? Basic ADLs consist of self-care tasks that include:
Bathing and showering
Personal hygiene and grooming (including brushing/combing/styling hair)
Dressing
Toilet hygiene (getting to the toilet, cleaning oneself, and getting back up)
Functional mobility, often referred to as "transferring", as measured by the ability to walk, get in and out of bed or chair
Self-feeding (not including cooking or chewing and swallowing)
One way to think about basic ADLs is that they are the things many people do when they get up in the morning and get ready to go out of the house: get out of bed, go to the toilet, bathe, dress, groom, and eat.
What we don’t normally hear about, and are still so important for your wellbeing, are Instrumental ADL’s which can include –
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 Instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) are not necessary for fundamental functioning, but they let an individual live independently in a community which is everyone’s aim, to continue living independently and in your own home.
Whilst these are physical activities, just as important to your wellbeing is your mental health. Many seniors face stress, anxiety and depression. Sometimes, low mood can be associated to grieving. Whether the loss is of a spouse, friends or the loss is associated to your own mobility or independence, mental health is as important as any other form of care.
Home Care really needs to begin with an accurate assessment of these ADLs and IADLs. This is where River Healthcare’s processes identify and work with you to meet all your needs, while allowing you to keep doing what you can or even helping you to do something you want to do but are finding difficult to complete at the moment. The Home Care team will
help you to live stress free and care free and complete all work you cannot.
