Activities of Daily Living

Definition

• The activities that a person does on a normal day which can include: cooking and eating meals, using a toilet, bathing, dressing and undressing, moving around the house, and getting in and out of bed or a chair. The level of ability with which a person is capable of performing these activities is measured to define the functional status of a person.

Synonyms
autonomous, independency

Acronyms
ADL

Alternate Spellings
ADLs

Related Terms and Acronyms

• Basic Activities of Daily Living (BADL) — Acronym,
• Critical Illness Insurance (CII) — Acronym, Very Important,
  • Insurance that covers individuals in the event of a critical or catastrophic illness.
  ➥ A health insurance policy rider.
• Custodial Care — Definition,
  • Care for individuals who find themselves unable to perform the activities of daily living but at the same time are not in need of constant medical care.
• Disability Insurance (DI) — Acronym, Important,
  • Insurance that covers individuals who develop a condition that hinders their ability to work.
• Group Home Care — Definition,
  • An arrangement where a group of people with disabilities receive both custodial and medical care in a single residence instead of in their own homes, which can be prohibitively expensive.
• Health Insurance (HI) — Acronym,
  • Insurance that covers the costs of medical expenses for insured persons.
• Home Care — Definition,
  • Medical and/or non-medical care provided directly in a person's home.
• Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) — Acronym,
• Long Term Care Insurance (LTC) — Acronym, Important,
  • Insurance that covers health care costs for individuals with chronic or disabling conditions.
• Personal Activities of Daily Living (PADL) — Acronym,
• Power of Attorney (POA, PA) — Acronym,
  • A document in which the signer authorizes someone to conduct business in his or her name -- signing title documents and cheques, for example.
• Residual Benefit — Definition,
  • Insurance benefits paid to individuals who lose income due to a covered disability.