Activities of Daily Living

Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) are everyday activities that people perform for personal self-care, such as dressing, bathing, eating, transferring, and using the toilet. ADLs measure a person’s functional independence and are used in many areas of healthcare, such as physical and occupational therapy, to evaluate a patient’s level of care needs and functional ability. Additionally, ADLs are important components of long-term care and insurance plans and are often used to determine an individual’s eligibility for certain services. Improving an individual’s ADLs helps to maintain their quality of life and independence.