Each day a self-reliant person goes through a thought process of reasoning and choosing (cognition), moving from point A to point B (mobility), purchasing and/or preparing food and feeding him/herself (eating), purging body waste (elimination), cleansing his/her body (bathing/personal hygiene), choosing and donning clothes (dressing/grooming). Performing activities of daily living (ADLs) is a must for every human being in order to maintain his/her well-being.
When determining in which class of adult care home an elderly or physically disabled person is to reside, it must be determined which activities of daily living the person can do without assistance. Determining a person’s ADL level is done during a 30-day evaluation of the person's self reliance.
Good Self-esteem is Achieved by Overcoming One's Disabilities
The aim of the evaluation is to preserve the person’s abilities while providing assistance where needed, which prevents caring the individual into dependency. It is important for a resident of an adult care homes to know he/she still has some measure of control over his/her life and that he/she is still useful. Preserving the person’s abilities also preserves his/her dignity and self-esteem.
Once the evaluation is complete, an individual will be defined as independent, assist, or full assist. An elderly or physically disabled person defined as “independent” needs little to no assistance doing any of the activities of daily living and can reside in any one of the three classes of adult care homes. A person defined as “assist” cannot accomplish some of the tasks involved in completing the ADLs without help. An “assist” person can reside in either a class II or class II adult care home. A person defined as “full assist” cannot complete any of the tasks involved in completing the ADLs and therefore the activities must be completed for the person by someone else. This person can reside in only a class III adult care home.
Seniors Who Want To Do An Evaluation Of Their Own ADL Abilities
A search for activities of daily living done on a state.gov site will yield that state’s policy on ADLs and residential care (e.g. Idaho and California). Some states and not-for-profit organizations make a self-evaluation checklist available to individuals wanting to have a clear understanding of their abilities as defined by an impartial entity (e.g. Oregon and Public Broadcasting Service).
Source:
State Of Oregon: Department Of Human Services - Seniors and People with Physical Disabilities. Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) & Service Priority Levels. Accessed January 22, 2010.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Measuring the Activities of Daily Living: Comparisons Across National Surveys. Accessed January 22, 2010.
