Activities of Daily Living

Most long-term care is not medical care; you may be surprised to find it is assistance with the basic personal tasks of everyday life, sometimes called “Activities of Daily Living,” also known as ADL. Most of us may think that this happens to 65+ seniors, however, there are a variety of reasons a person may become incapable of performing some or all of the basic functions or activities that they at one time were able to perform without assistance. Unfortunately, being injured or becoming disabled in an accident or on the battlefield, developing an illness and the results or effects of getting older are common causes for needing this type of long-term care, it is not restricted to age.

After performing research from various sources we have developed a list of five basic ADL, keep in mind not all agencies agree on the exact wording or the number of basic ADL but to assist in conveying a few common activities we offer this list and two graphical illustrations as a starting point.

What do you do when a loved one or someone close to you needs assistance in performing ADL?
It can be extremely difficult for family members, friends, neighbors or acquaintances to step in and provide the needed assistance on a routine basis, especially when it is long-term; this type of caregiver is also known or referred to as an “informal or family caregiver”. Consider juggling a full-time job, managing a household, finding time to do things that offer R&R and now add the task of providing care for someone who needs it. Becoming an informal caregiver involves more than just providing care. To list a few of the requirements, becoming an informal or inexperienced caregiver requires:

• Having a caring personality
• Being able to meet the needs and expectations of the care receiver
• Much patience and self-sacrifice
• Dealing with unexpected major life changes

Can your loved one perform basic daily activities independently
within the home, away from home, or both?

According to a fact sheet published by Family Caregiver Alliance there were 52 million informal caregivers providing care to someone aged 20+ who was ill or disabled in 1987/1988¹ (sorry I could not find more current statistics). Providing informal care can often lead to damaged personal relationships, deteriorating health for the caregiver and lose of wages and benefits. In most severe cases, particularly when long-term care is required, the family caregiver is forced to give up work to care for a family member or friend, the cost in lost wages and benefits, in 2000, was estimated to be $109 per day².

Consider what the CareGivers can offer!

Consider an alternative; the staff at CareGivers has over 25 years of experience working with seniors, developmentally disabled, and veterans, providing expertise that you can count on. We are experts in caring for people. Our Care Manager will gladly answer all of your questions; provide a no-cost home care evaluation and assessment, establish a Care Plan and select the caregiver that will provide the in-home care services that best fit your loved one’s situation.

Please review our home page, our care services and / or give us a call (408) 249-4967 and “let us step in while you step out worry free”!

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¹ Health and Human Services. Informal caregiving: Compassion in action. Washington, DC: Author, 1998. Based on data from the 1987/1988 National Survey of Families and Households (NSFH), 2002.
² Stucki, B. R., and J. Mulver. Can aging baby boomers avoid the nursing home? Long-term care Insurance for Aging in Place. Washington, DC: American Council of Life Insurers, 2000.