"ADL's" - this is a term you should know about!  It stands for "Activities of Daily Living," a term used frequently in the long-term care industry.  ADL's help to measure what activities a patient can and cannot do, and help indicate what level of care is required.  While there are many lists, the most standard uses six activities:

• Personal hygiene and grooming
• Dressing and undressing
• Self feeding
• Functional transfers (Getting from bed to wheelchair, getting onto or off of toilet, etc.)
• Bowel and bladder management
• Ambulation (Walking without use of use of an assistive device (walker, cane, or crutches) or using a wheelchair)

Simply, the more the patient cannot do, the greater the amount of care required.  

If you have a long-term care insurance policy, you may have heard the term.  Most policies will not begin paying benefits until a physician certifies that you are unable to perform at least two ADL's. 

Most importantly, ADL's indicate where a patient must be placed when they need care.  The more serious a patient's challenges, the higher level of care that is required.  It is important to connect the needs of a patient to the appropriate level of care.  ADL's assist in making that assessment.

How Do ADL's Affect You?  Pay attention, because in our next issue, we'll explain how this directly impacts you.  If you are someone who says "I will NEVER be in a nursing home," you will want to read our next edition!