A Guide To ADLs And IADLs In Carver Park, SC Independent Senior Housing

As we age, we often need to adapt a few things about our daily lives. When researching retirement communities, you may have come across terms such as ADLs and IADLs. A guide to ADLs and IADLs in active senior independent living at Carver Park, SC, independent senior housing.

Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)

ADLs, or activities of daily living, are the basic self-care tasks we learn as children that are done throughout our lives. The ability to perform ADLs is a good indicator of an individual’s physical health status, functional independence, and quality of life. For example, if an individual cannot walk across the room unassisted or bathe without assistance, they may also be unable to perform other ADLs independently.  To maintain independence in the home and community setting, individuals must be able to achieve their personal care tasks. These include: 

• Eating: Eating is the most natural of activities, and therefore it can be easy to take for granted
• Bathroom activities: Bathroom activities help you perform tasks while in the bathroom, such as bathing and grooming.
• Dressing: Dressing is a complex activity that includes several skills, including putting on clothes and shoes and socks, dressing in layers, dressing in the morning, and getting dressed (or undressed). 
• Mobility: The ability to go from one place to another 
• Hygiene and grooming: Hygiene and grooming are important aspects of self-care.

Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs)

Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs) are the tasks that require more complex thinking skills.  IADLs include:

• Transportation: The ability to keep transportation by driving or arranging rides.
• Housecleaning and home maintenance: Housekeeping can include washing dishes, vacuuming floors, dusting furniture, and cleaning the kitchen. Home maintenance involves mowing lawns, shoveling snow, caring for pets, or repairing broken items in the home.
• Preparing meals: This includes preparing ingredients, such as chopping vegetables or opening cans and cooking the meal to ensure it will be safe to eat.
• Managing finances: The ability to make financial decisions, pay bills, write checks for the appropriate amount and manage financial assets.
• Communication: The ability to communicate with others, both verbally and non-verbally. This includes sending and receiving messages, actively listening, and responding appropriately.
• Medication: Medication management is the ability to get and take medications as directed by a physician. This can include both over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medications.

Importance of ADLs and IADLs

ADLs and IADLs are essential because they reflect the ability of a person to function independently in their home. They help caregivers, family members, and healthcare professionals determine the level of care a person needs. These ADLs and IADLs also provide insight into how well a person can perform daily tasks that require physical or mental effort. These measures are used to determine whether an individual needs to move to a community. For more information on our retirement community, contact us today.