ADLs are the minimum abilities a person needs to perform in order to have an independent life. Seniors may struggle with basic self-care duties due to age-related health concerns. More than 20% of people over the age of 85 require assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs), according to studies. Taking care of your loved ones can be challenging; consider help from Philadelphia personal health care.
The Katz Index of Independence in ADLs identifies six core competencies necessary for ADLs such as:
- Maintaining personal hygiene, which includes things like taking a bath or shower, brushing one’s teeth, and cutting one’s nails,
- Continence, or the absence of involuntary bowel or bladder movements
- Independently choosing and donning weather- and occasion-appropriate clothing and outerwear (also known as “dressing”)
- Ability to move freely in one’s environment, particularly to and from a bed or chair
- The act of putting food into one’s mouth, chewing it, and swallowing it (as opposed to preparing the meal itself)
- Toileting entails being able to use the toilet independently (getting on and off, washing oneself).
- Tell me about IADLs (Important ADLs).
Care for oneself, one’s family, and one’s dwelling all fall under the umbrella of “instrumental activities of daily living,” or IADLs. While ADLs are the foundation of independent living for the elderly, IADLs are the more nuanced tasks that need the use of higher-level cognitive and organizational abilities. According to the Lawton-Brody scale [03], the following are examples of IADLs:
- Upkeep of the residence, including cleaning, repairs, and other upkeep activities
- Making and sticking to a budget Taking medications as prescribed Doing laundry
- Making supper
- Getting one’s basic needs met by shopping
- Moving and other forms of relocation necessitate transportation.
- To convey one’s thoughts to another via a medium of transmission, such as a phone or a computer.
The significance of ADLs and IADLs in caregiving
With the support of a medical professional, knowing how well your loved one performs on ADLs and IADLs can enable you to answer the following questions:
- Is it necessary for you or a neighbour to make regular visits to see how your elderly parent is doing?
- Can you or a senior family member benefit from speech, occupational, or physical therapy?
- Can your elderly parent still manage on their own?
- Would relocating your loved one to an assisted living facility free them from the burden of chores and errands that currently overwhelm or upset them?
