Caring for a loved one is a rewarding experience, but that doesn’t mean it’s always easy. There may be a point where your loved one begins to struggle with their activities of daily living and needs professional, loving care. It’s crucial to learn to recognize the signs that something is wrong so you can get your loved one the care they deserve.
Watch out for signs that your loved one’s activities of daily living aren’t as easy as they once were. When your loved one struggles with tasks like self-care, bathing, cleaning, and housekeeping, it’s time to consider professional care.
What Are Activities of Daily Living?
Activities of daily living (ADLs) are the essential tasks that people need to perform every day. These activities range from basic self-care like personal hygiene and bathing to more complex tasks that require high levels of cognitive abilities, like managing money and making complicated decisions.
ADLs are typically divided into 2 categories:
- Basic ADLs, which are fundamental self-care tasks.
- Instrumental ADLs (IADLs) are more complex activities necessary for independent living.
Being able to perform these tasks makes a significant difference in your loved one’s quality of life. Independence and dignity are crucial for quality of life, but, sometimes, ADLs can become more difficult as people age.
What Affects Activities of Daily Living?
Aging is a natural part of life, and it can often bring physical and cognitive changes that affect a person’s ability to perform ADLs. As people age, they often experience:
- Decreased physical strength, which can make tasks like lifting groceries or cleaning more difficult
- Reduced flexibility, which can make activities like dressing and bathing more challenging
- Changes in vision and hearing, which can impact a person’s ability to perform tasks such as driving or cooking
- Declines in cognitive abilities, which can make daily decision-making and managing finances more challenging
- Limited mobility, which can affect a person’s ability to get around and perform daily tasks, such as shopping or doing laundry.
These changes often develop slowly and subtly—you may not even realize your loved one is beginning to struggle. It’s essential to learn how to tell your loved one is beginning to struggle, so that you can intervene and get them the care they deserve.
How to Assess Your Loved One’s Needs
Several standardized assessments can help you determine your loved one’s level of independence and their need for care. These assessments typically focus on the ADLs and IADLs, evaluating how well a person can perform essential tasks.
There are 3 popular assessments:
- The Katz Index
- The Lawton-Brody Scale
- The Bristol Scale
So what, exactly, are these assessment tools, and how do they work?
The Katz Index
The Katz Index is a widely used tool for assessing basic activities of daily living. It evaluates six key areas of self-care to help you identify where your loved one needs assistance.
The Katz Index involves:
- Assessing whether the individual can bathe without assistance or requires help.
- Determining if the person can dress independently or needs assistance with clothing.
- Evaluating the ability to use the bathroom without help.
- Assessing whether the individual can move in and out of bed or chairs independently.
- Determining if the person can control their continence.
- Evaluating the ability to feed oneself without assistance.
This index provides a straightforward framework that lets you assess your loved one’s basic self-care needs. If your loved one is struggling with these activities of everyday living, it might be time for professional care.
The Lawton-Brody Scale
The Lawton-Brody Scale focuses on instrumental activities of daily living—the more complex tasks required for everyday activity. This scale outlines how to:
- Evaluate the ability to operate a phone and make calls independently.
- Assess whether the person can shop for groceries and other necessities on their own.
- Determine if the individual can prepare meals without assistance.
- Evaluate the ability to perform household cleaning and maintenance tasks.
- Assess whether the person can do their laundry independently.
- Determine if the individual can arrange and use transportation without help.
- Evaluate the ability to manage and take medications as prescribed.
- Assess whether the person can manage their finances and pay bills independently.
The Lawton-Brody Scale provides a comprehensive overview of your loved one’s ability to manage complicated everyday tasks and lets you know where they struggle.
The Bristol Scale
The Bristol Scale is a valuable tool that helps you outline your loved one’s ability to perform their activities of daily living. The activities are broken down into several categories. Through a series of different questions, you rank your loved one’s abilities from A-E or 1-5.
When complete, the Bristol Scale gives a score that clearly outlines your loved one’s capabilities. You’ll have an in-depth understanding of your loved one’s physical and cognitive health, which can help you determine the right level of care.
Get Your Loved One the Care They Deserve
If your loved one is beginning to struggle with their everyday activities, don’t ignore the signs that something’s wrong. Instead, come talk to our team at All American Assisted Living at Hillsborough.
In our community, your loved one will receive a custom care plan that clearly outlines what they need in order to maintain their dignity and quality of life. We’re ready to give your loved one the care they deserve, so schedule a tour with us today!
