ADL
Also written as: ADL — Activities of Daily Living
Basic self-care tasks used to assess functional independence in elderly patients, including bathing, dressing, and eating.
Full Definition
Activities of Daily Living (ADL) are fundamental self-care tasks that individuals typically perform on a daily basis to maintain personal hygiene, health, and well-being. The basic ADLs commonly assessed in geriatric care include bathing, dressing, toileting, transferring (mobility), continence, and feeding. These activities are distinguished from Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs), which involve more complex tasks like managing finances or medications. ADL assessment is crucial in geriatric psychiatry for determining level of care needs, tracking functional decline in dementia, and evaluating treatment outcomes. Impairment in ADLs often correlates with cognitive decline and can indicate the need for increased support or placement in assisted living facilities.
Usage
Usage note: Always capitalized when abbreviated. Plural form is ADLs. Distinguish from IADLs (Instrumental Activities of Daily Living).
In Context
- "The patient required assistance with three of six basic ADLs." — Functional assessment report
- "ADL decline paralleled the progression of cognitive symptoms over time." — Longitudinal care summary