Activities of daily living, or ADLs

Activities of daily living

Activities of daily living, often shortened to ADLs, are the basic tasks a person does each day. They include bathing, dressing, eating, using the toilet and moving around the home.

This matters because these tasks decide how independent someone feels. When a person cannot dress or wash alone, the whole family carries more, and dignity can suffer too.

Our physiotherapist sets goals around the tasks that matter most to the person. We practise the real movement, such as reaching to wash the back or standing to pull up trousers, in the place where it happens. Each small win makes daily life easier for everyone.