Learning About Activities of Daily Living

What are activities of daily living?

Activities of daily living (ADLs) are the basic self-care tasks you do every day. These include eating, bathing, dressing, and moving around.

As you age, and if you have health problems, you may find that it's harder to do some of these tasks. If so, your doctor can suggest ideas that may help.

To measure what kind of help you may need, your doctor will ask how well you are able to do ADLs. Let your doctor know if there are any tasks that you are having trouble doing. This is an important first step to getting help. And when you have the help you need, you can stay as independent as possible.

How will a doctor assess your ADLs?

Asking about ADLs is part of a routine health checkup your doctor will likely do as you age. Your health check might be done in a doctor's office, in your home, or at a hospital. The goal is to find out if you are having any problems that could make it hard to care for yourself or that make it unsafe for you to be on your own.

To measure your ADLs, your doctor will ask how hard it is for you to do routine tasks. Your doctor may also want to know if you have changed the way you do a task because of a health problem. Your doctor may watch how you:

• Walk back and forth.
• Keep your balance while you stand or walk.
• Move from sitting to standing or from a bed to a chair.
• Button or unbutton a shirt or sweater.
• Remove and put on your shoes.

It's common to feel a little worried or anxious if you find you can't do all the things you used to be able to do. Talking with your doctor about ADLs is a way to make sure you're as safe as possible and able to care for yourself as well as you can. You may want to bring a caregiver, friend, or family member to your checkup. They can help you talk to your doctor.