Activities of Daily Living
A classification of routine self-care tasks — including bathing, dressing, eating, toileting, and mobility — used as functional outcome measures in geriatric rehabilitation.
Full Definition
Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) are the fundamental self-care tasks that individuals perform each day. In geriatric rehabilitation, they serve as primary functional outcome measures and are categorised as either basic ADLs (BADLs) — such as bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, and ambulation — or instrumental ADLs (IADLs), which include higher-order tasks such as managing finances, using a telephone, or preparing meals. Both categories are assessed with validated scales such as the Barthel Index or the Katz Index. Editors must always capitalise the full phrase when written out and ensure the abbreviation ADL (or ADLs in plural) is introduced correctly on first use. Avoid conflating ADLs with IADLs in the same sentence without differentiating.
Usage
Usage note: Capitalise as 'Activities of Daily Living' on first use; subsequently 'ADLs' is acceptable. Distinguish clearly between basic ADLs and instrumental ADLs (IADLs) when both are discussed.
In Context
- "Occupational therapy focused on restoring independence in activities of daily living following the patient's hip fracture." — Multidisciplinary team meeting minutes
- "ADL performance was assessed using the Barthel Index at admission and at six-week follow-up." — Outcome measurement report