Activities of Daily Living

What are ADLs?  

ADLs, or Activities of Daily Living, are all those basic self-care activities that people without an illness or injury normally do for themselves.  These activities include bathing, oral hygiene, toileting, dressing, grooming, eating, and safe transfers.  Depending on your workplace and/or the client’s insurance, reimbursement for client care may be based on how much ADL assistance you provide for your clients.

TIPS FOR ASSISTING WITH ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING

• Develop a routine with your client.  Provide assistance with ADLs at the same time of day the client would normally do that activity.  For example, if your client normally likes to get washed and brush her teeth before breakfast, then help her with those tasks at that time.
• Include the client in the activity.  Ask and encourage clients to participate in personal care and give them time to perform the activity.
• Never rush a client through ADLs.  Remember, the goal is to increase the person’s ability to do this task independently.  If you rush, or get impatient and do it yourself, you deprive the person of the opportunity to regain this skill.  This means you will ALWAYS have to do it!
• Give a head start. Set up the items needed for the client to perform the activity independently.  For example, put toothpaste on the toothbrush and place it near the client.
• Keep it simple.  Break complex tasks down into smaller steps.  Provide cues for activities to be completed.  For example, "Here is the washcloth.  Wash your face." Or "Pick up the brush and brush your hair."
• Use the “hand-over-hand” method.  If your client does not respond to your verbal cues, try the hand-over-hand method.  You do this by placing your hand on top of the client's hand and performing the activity together.
• Be patient. Allow your clients to do as much of the activity as possible, even if it takes longer for the task to be completed.
• Be positive. Encourage clients who try to do things for themselves.  Show them that you are confident in their abilities.
• Record the correct information!  When documenting ADLs, two pieces of information are critical—what actually happened and how much you helped.