ADLs are the basic self-care tasks — bathing, dressing, eating. IADLs are the more complex tasks of running a life — medications, meals, money. Communities and long-term care insurers all use them to measure how much care a person needs, which is why the terms show up everywhere in this search.
Activities of daily living (ADLs)
- Bathing — Washing body, getting in/out of shower or tub
- Dressing — Selecting clothes and dressing/undressing
- Eating — Feeding oneself (not meal preparation)
- Toileting — Using toilet, hygiene after
- Continence — Controlling bladder and bowel
- Transferring — Moving between bed, chair, standing, walking
Instrumental ADLs (IADLs)
- Preparing meals, housekeeping, managing medications, handling finances, shopping, transportation
What your options depend on
- ADLs needing help: the more hands-on ADLs, the stronger the case for assisted living
- IADLs slip first: medications and meals usually falter before bathing and dressing do
- Insurance triggers: long-term care policies typically pay once help is needed with two or more ADLs
How A Place for Seniors advisors help
A care assessment produces a score; a family needs a plan. An A Place for Seniors advisor translates ADL findings into the right level of care — and the local communities licensed to provide it.
Your next step
Want help reading a care assessment? Take our placement quiz — it takes a few minutes, and an A Place for Seniors advisor follows up at no cost to your family. Or browse communities in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, New Mexico, and Utah.
Related questions
- How Do I Choose the Right Level of Care?
- How Do I Know if My Parent Needs Assisted Living?
- Independent Living vs. Assisted Living vs. Memory Care vs. Residential Care Homes
This is general information, not medical, legal, or financial advice.