What's the Difference Between ADLs and IADLs?
Activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) are basic functions that we all need to perform each day. If you’re having trouble performing one or more ADL or IADL, for whatever reason, it may be time to seek help. Person-centered care helps ensure you maintain a sense of independence throughout the process.
You may have seen the acronyms ADL and IADL thrown around in conversations about aging.
We know, we know... more abbreviations to remember? Hear us out, though: these are helpful to understand.
ADLs, which stands for “activities of daily living,” and its counterpart, IADL, which stands for “instrumental activities of daily living,” are measurements of the functions we all need to perform to take care of ourselves.
ADLs are the more physical and strenuous tasks; IADLs are the softer-skilled, less obvious ones. Together, they’re a nifty way for us to check in on ourselves as we get older — if we’re having difficulty performing any of them, it’s a good indication that we need support, perhaps through home care.
Let’s be clear about one thing: needing help with ADLs and IADLs is completely normal. And while it may feel like you’re giving up part of your independence by seeking help, a person-centered care approach will help ensure that any assistance you receive respects your values, goals, and sense of self as much as possible. You can receive help and still be you.
Below, we’ve outlined the seven primary ADLs and the sixteen primary IADLs: what they are, why they’re important, and how a person-centered caregiver can assist you with each of them.
Ready? Let’s get to it!
What are all the ADLs?
The seven officially-recognized ADLs are as follows:
1. Bathing and Showering
The gist:
The ability to bathe and shower — safely, without falling.
The person-centered care approach:
Allow you to groom yourself how you want.
Think of it like having a spotter at the gym. Your caregiver will be nearby, in whichever way is most comfortable for you, in case you need assistance. How you choose to bathe — what shampoos you use, what towels you prefer — is completely up to you and will not change.
2. Dressing
The gist:
The ability to dress yourself — safely, without falling.
The person-centered care approach:
Help you wear what makes you feel GREAT.
Your caregiver will ensure you can always safely wear the clothes that make you feel the most confident.
3. Eating and Drinking
The gist:
The ability to feed yourself.
The person-centered care approach:
Treat you like a foodie.
Eating isn’t only about sustenance. If you do need assistance with eating or drinking, your caregiver will make sure you’re able to safely continue eating the foods that bring you the most joy.
4. Continence
The gist:
The ability to control your bowel and bladder functions.
The person-centered care approach:
Help in whichever way you’re most comfortable.
This one can be a little tricky, but if you need any type of assistance with continence, you and your caregiver will work out whatever type of help is most comfortable for you.
5. Toileting
The gist:
The ability to get to and from the toilet, get on and off the toilet, and perform associated personal hygiene.
The person-centered care approach:
See #4: Help in whichever way you feel most comfortable.
6. Mobility
The gist:
The ability to move around inside and outside your residence, whether it’s walking or using assistive devices like walkers or lifts.
The person-centered care approach:
Keep you movin’.
A caregiver will assist you in (safely) moving about in whichever way you prefer.
7. Transferring
The gist:
The ability to transfer yourself from one position to another, such as from a bed to a chair.
The person-centered care approach:
Stay within an arm’s reach.
Much like with Bathing & Showering, your caregiver here will act as a spotter, ensuring you can transfer positions in whichever ways are most comfortable and preferable to you.
Phew. That’s all of them — you still with us? You can learn more about the ADLs in detail here.
OK – what about the IADLs?
As we mentioned up top, the IADLs are softer-skilled, more abstract functions. They’re just as important as the ADLs, but they’re a little less obvious.
Below are the 16 officially-recognized IADLs:
1. Driving a Car
The gist:
The ability to drive a car independently and safely.
The person-centered care approach:
Provide you with a personal chauffeur.
Your caregiver will make sure you’re getting where you need to be — and, just as importantly, in the style that best suits you. Do you, say, love listening to Otis Redding while you’re in the car? If so, you and your caregiver will be singing to “Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay” on repeat while they drive you.
2. Using Public Transportation
The gist:
The ability to use public transportation — buses, trains, etc. — independently.
The person-centered care approach:
Provide you with a travel companion.
Your caregiver will serve as your travel buddy to make sure you can continue to safely use public transportation in whichever ways you prefer.
3. Shopping for Groceries
The gist:
The ability to shop for groceries independently.
The person-centered care approach:
Provide you with an extra set of hands.
If you’re having trouble shopping for groceries yourself, your caregiver will step in as your personal shopper and make sure the pantry is always stocked with your favorite foods. Not bad, right?
4. Shopping for Small Items
The gist:
The ability to shop for small items independently.
The person-centered care approach:
See: personal shopper.
5. Preparing Meals
The gist:
The ability to prepare meals at home independently.
The person-centered care approach:
Personal chef? Yes, please.
Your caregiver will prepare your meals for you — although you might have to coach them a bit to make sure they’re getting your favorite recipes just right.
6. Heating Food in a Microwave
The gist:
The ability to safely heat food in a microwave.
The person-centered care approach:
See: personal chef.
7. Heating Food on the Stove
The gist:
The ability to safely heat food on a stovetop.
The person-centered care approach:
See again: personal chef.
8. Organizing and Scheduling Appointments
The gist:
The ability to organize and schedule appointments independently.
The person-centered care approach:
Hello, personal assistant!
Your caregiver will act as your on-hand assistant to make sure you’re on top of all the things you need to do.
9. Handling Your Financial Affairs
The gist:
The ability to handle your long-term financial affairs — wills, insurance — independently.
The person-centered care approach:
See: personal assistant.
10. Managing Your Day-to-Day Money Matters
The gist:
The ability to handle your smaller, day-to-day money matters independently.
The person-centered care approach:
See again: personal assistant.
11. Participating in Social Activities
The gist:
The ability to participate in social activities independently.
The person-centered care approach:
Provide you with your own event planner.
However you prefer to socialize, your caregiver will make sure you can continue doing it without stress.
12. Housekeeping
The gist:
The ability to maintain a clean, clutter-free household.
The person-centered care approach:
Make you proud to live in your home.
Your caregiver will make sure your home is always clean, tidy, and unquestionably YOU.
13. Doing Laundry
The gist:
The ability to keep up with your laundry.
The person-centered care approach:
Make sure all your favorite clothes are clean and ready.
14. Using a Telephone
The gist:
The ability to use a telephone.
The person-centered care approach:
Keep you on-call, always.
Your caregiver will make sure you can call whoever you want, whenever, without stress.
15. Dial 911 in an Emergency
The gist:
The ability to dial 911 if an emergency arises.
The person-centered care approach:
Call for help for you.
This should be obvious, but your caregiver will call 911 for you in case of any emergencies.
16. Use a Medical Alert Button
The gist:
The ability to use a Medical Alert Button if an emergency arises.
The person-centered care approach:
Again — call for help for you.
Alright. We made it. For a more detailed look at all the IADLs we just walked through, look here.
What to remember about both ADLs and IADLs
To reiterate, it is 100% normal to need help with ADLs and IADLs at some point in your life. Most people will eventually need some type of assistance.
Understanding both the ADLs and IADLs is useful in determining your own level of functionality — and, more importantly, if you could use a little help. By choosing a caregiver who specializes in person-centered care, you can rest assured knowing that your preferences, goals, and values — and, above all, safety — will stay top-of-mind. Because we all deserve to feel like ourselves.
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Expert reviewed by
Brian Kelley, PT, DPT, MHA
Brian Kelley, PT, DPT, MHA has been both a clinician and operator in the Older Adult Post-Acute space for the past 20 years. His focus is and always has been on making sure care consumers remain the focus of care delivery and that they receive the highest quality services possible.
Written by
Eric Larson
Eric Larson is a writer and filmmaker based in Brooklyn, NY. He’s worked on commercial campaigns for brands like Google, Amazon Fashion, and Casper, and his independent films have screened at renowned festivals in New York City, Los Angeles, London, and Paris.
