Activities of Daily Living

What Are Activities of Daily Living and Why Are They Important?

Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) are the essential tasks a person must be able to perform every day to live independently and maintain personal health and safety. These tasks form the foundation of daily self-care and are often used by healthcare professionals to evaluate a person’s functional abilities—especially in older adults or individuals recovering from injury or illness.

Here is a commonly used list of activities of daily living:

1. Bathing – The ability to wash oneself and maintain hygiene.
2. Dressing– Choosing appropriate clothing and getting dressed independently.
3. Eating – Feeding oneself (not including meal preparation).
4. Transferring– Moving in and out of beds, chairs, or standing positions.
5. Toileting– Getting to and from the toilet and maintaining personal hygiene.
6. Continence – Controlling bladder and bowel functions.

There are also Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs), which include more complex tasks such as managing medications, preparing meals, handling finances, and using transportation. These are crucial for maintaining independence in a community setting.

Understanding and supporting the ability to perform these daily tasks is key to maintaining independence, especially as we age. Cognitive and physical decline can impair these abilities, which is why promoting brain health—through activities like dual task training—is so important.

By combining physical movement with cognitive engagement, we can strengthen the systems that support both the brain and the body, helping individuals stay active, safe, and independent for longer.