ADLs are the activities of daily living. There is a distinction between the Basic ADLs and the Instrumental ADLs. Of importance is the role of the healthcare professional in identifying patients needing assistance with ADLs.
What are the Basic ADLs?
Basic ADLs are the fundamental skills needed for independent self-care. Inability to carry out the basic ADLs renders the patient dependent on others and mechanical devices.
Ambulating is the ability of the patient to walk unaided and to shift the body from one position to another. Feeding is the capacity of patients to feed themselves. Dressing involves being able to choose suitable clothing and put it on unassisted. Personal hygiene includes bathing, grooming, dental hygiene, brushing one’s hair, and taking care of the nails. Continence is control over bowel and bladder functions. Toileting is the basic skill of getting to the toilet alone, using it correctly, and cleaning oneself.
Disabled patients and the elderly usually have problems with everyday tasks like this. Completing an ADL assessment is necessary for acceptance to state and federal programs.
What are the Instrumental ADLs?
Instrumental ADLs enable the patient to function in society and require complex cognitive abilities.
Transportation and shopping involve the capacity to do one’s shopping for groceries and cope with transportation needs by driving or arranging an alternative. Managing finances is the ability to manage one’s budget, such as paying bills. It also includes the capacity to take care of assets. Shopping and meal preparation is the ability to obtain food, clothing, and other necessities and to prepare one’s meals. Housecleaning and home maintenance require the patient to manage their laundry, wash dishes, maintain a clean home environment and attend to home maintenance. Managing communication means being able to operate a telephone, send and receive emails, and use the internet. Managing medications is the ability to manage refills and take the correct dosage.
The loss of Instrumental ADLs is usually less obvious than the deterioration of Basic ADLs. Instrumental ADLs decline first in most cases.
What is the Role of the Healthcare Professional in Assisted Living?
The healthcare professional needs to identify and assess patients who require assistance with ADLs. Loss of ADLs presents safety issues and compromised quality of life. These patients may need a referral to a nursing home, require hospitalization, or paid care. Checklists for ADLs include the Lawton IADL Scale and the Katz Index of Independence in ADLs.
Nurses are on the front line for noticing the hospitalized patient’s loss of function and should regularly screen all their patients. Often, ADLs decline after an acute illness, such as a stroke, or after suffering from a fall. They should identify the need for physiotherapy, speech therapy, or occupational therapy. Facilities such as Monarch Communities assisted living Beverly MA can help the older person with loss of ability to perform the ADLs by providing therapies as part of the overall care.
It is incumbent on all members of the interdisciplinary healthcare team, including doctors and therapists, to assess a patient’s functionality and recommend the requisite care for the patient after discharge.
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