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| Home / For your parent / speech, language & motor services / occupational therapy / | ||
| Activities of daily living (ADLs) | ||
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ADLs are the different tasks of everyday life. They include self-care
skills (dressing, eating, bathing, going to the bathroom), home-care
skills (cooking, cleaning, bill paying), and work and leisure skills
(using a phone, transportation, playing cards, etc.) Some ADLs
are common to everyone, such as eating, and others are more unique
to individuals, such as putting on a prosthetic leg.
Why Are ADLs so Important? Each person’s daily life is comprised of many ADLs. If a person is unable to do these various tasks independently or efficiently, it can affect self-esteem, schedules, finances, personal privacy, and the life roles of that individual (employee, parent, friend, driver, etc.) Bill is a 67 year old man who has had a stroke and now cannot use the fingers on his left hand to tie his shoes. He is embarrassed to ask for help and as a result has withdrawn from family and friends and no longer attends the numerous social activities he has always enjoyed. What Can Be Done to Help? There are many reasons a person may have difficulty with ADLs, including injury, stroke, surgery, developmental disability, illness, and the effects of aging. There are also many ways to combat these factors, including adaptive equipment, strengthening and “re-training” of muscles, adaptive techniques, and patient, family, and caregiver education. Occupational therapy addresses these issues, and more. If Bill were to begin occupational therapy intervention, he would have new options: use of elastic shoelaces (or a “tie-less” system) to adapt shoes, instruction in one-handed tying method to adapt technique, exercises to strengthen fingers and have better use of hand, and/or general patient education. With occupational therapy, he has the opportunity to regain his independence, self-worth, and participation in the things he enjoys. Questions? If you or someone you know is experiencing decreased independence, difficulty, or discomfort with ADLs, occupational therapy may be able to help. The Hearing, Speech & Deafness Center (HSDC) offers occupational therapy for most insurance plans. For more information, or to schedule an evaluation, please call 206.323.5770 V/TTY or email speech@hsdc.org. |
