What is ADL care?
ADL (activities of daily living) is a term used in healthcare to describe the everyday tasks of daily living.
We know how important it is for individuals to maintain their dignity in various aspects of daily life, even during the most trying times. ADL care is one of the many homecare services we provide, whether as a stepping stone for independent living or end-of-life support. In-home support for ADL can be vital for an individual’s pride and overall comfort.
WHAT EVERYDAY ACTIVITIES ARE ADLs?
While activities of daily living vary among individuals, functional mobility is generally the ability to get in and out of bed, sit in and stand up from chairs, walk around, stand independently, and perform various necessary tasks.
Basic ADLs include:
Showering or bathing
Combing or brushing hair
Brushing teeth
Getting dressed
Washing hands
Nail care
Toilet hygiene
Eating ADLs include:
Self-feeding either by hand or with a utensil
Chewing and swallowing food
Retrieving and drinking water
Cooking or otherwise preparing food
Another category of basic ADLs is homemaking. This includes everyday straightening up, making the bed, taking out the trash, and washing, folding, and putting away laundry. For some, taking prescribed medications is a basic activity of daily living.
INSTRUMENTAL ADLs
Instrumental ADLs focus on lifestyle-based tasks that are unique to an individual. Although they are not essential for basic functioning, they allow a person to live independently while maintaining a role in their community.
Common instrumental ADLs include:
Home maintenance
Bill pay and money management
Grocery shopping and buying other necessities
Communicating via phone, text, email, or letter
Community safety and emergency response
Health maintenance
WHO MAY NEED ADL CARE?
Aging is a natural, unavoidable fact of life. As muscular, circulatory, and sensory functions deteriorate, many people lose their ability to perform daily living activities. Additionally, cognitive decline often leads to a reduced capacity for self-care. Certain medications and an unfamiliar living environment can also impact a person’s ability.
With aging adults, the need for basic ADL care isn’t always blatantly apparent, and it often progresses gradually. Many of these individuals don’t have the live-in assistance of a caregiver or someone readily available to help them perform basic functions.
Typically, those in need of ADL care have declined physically or become mentally impaired. The physical or cognitive impairment is either temporary due to an injury, operation, long-term hospitalization, illness, or indefinite as a result of chronic disease, permanent disability, or age.
EVALUATING THE NEED FOR ADL CARE
How do you know if your loved one needs ADL care? Various evaluation tools are used in clinical settings to assess an individual, including the Katz Index of Independence in Activities of Daily Living, the Duke Older Americans Resources and Services (OARS) Program, and the Bristol Activities of Daily Living Scale (BADLS). The Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) Scale is often used to evaluate a person’s ability to perform instrumental ADLs.
These questionnaires, programs, indexes, scales, and assessments capture a person’s current and projected mental and physical health condition to determine their capacity to live independently. In some cases, the need for ADL care is determined by observing an individual’s usage of everyday items, like a fork, pen, or toothbrush. Even when an individual refuses help, it is in their best interest to consider whether they are successfully able to manage all aspects of ADLs.
IN-HOME ADL CARE
The need for ADL care doesn’t necessarily imply someone has other medical needs. For this reason, homecare is often the best solution for caring for an aging parent. Often, individuals can better maintain their dignity and a level of independence while staying in their own homes versus transitioning to a nursing home or assisted living facility.
Whether the goal is regaining the ability to perform daily living activities, maintaining a healthy routine, preserving functional independence, or simply providing high-quality end-of-life care, home assistance is an excellent option.
BENEFITS OF IN-HOME CARE
An AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) survey showed that nearly 80% of adults 50 and older want to stay in their homes as long as possible as they age. Receiving care in your place of residence provides the undeniable value of familiarity, comfort, and a sense of calm.
Other advantages of in-home ADL care include:
Mental and emotional benefits of living in a familiar environment
Personalized support and one-on-one attention
Faster recovery from illness, surgery, or short-term disability
Independence and peace of mind
Cost-effective healthcare services
TrustHouse is a premier, bespoke in-home care provider that delivers personalized services tailored to meet the exacting standards of discerning families. With rigorously vetted, trained, and certified private duty nurses, we guarantee superior care, better health outcomes, and enhanced peace of mind.
To request care or learn more about TrustHouse, please contact us at 212.776.4390.