As a person ages, they’re ability to become partially dependent on others to accomplish day-to-day care tasks increases. They are called activities of daily living that are the essential things that everyone does each day for self-care. These activities include bathing, dressing, eating, toileting, getting in and out of bed and chairs, and walking or moving about indoors. Many older adults rely on family caregivers for help. That’s why it’s important for family members to follow necessary steps to improve the activities of daily living tasks.
Ways to Improve Activities of Daily Living
Learn the elderly person’s care plan and medical history. Get involved with the physician’s diagnosis and suggested healthcare strategy. If the elderly relative is leaving a hospital, ask the discharge nurse or case manager for the detailed diagnoses, treatment plans and care plans. The combined strategies focus on the physical and cognitive impairments which then points to the self-care performance. As a family caregiver, pay close attention to the elderly’s ability to perform self-care tasks. For example, is the bathroom difficult to access? Can the person get up and out of a chair easily? Does arthritis cause morning stiffness and pain but ease up by afternoon?
Learn about the daily living aids that make the challenges like moving around, transferring to and from a bed or chair, and using the toilet easier to perform. The challenges differ from one person to another so be sure to assess each situation to decide what will help. Always put the individual’s needs and comfort first.
A list of devices that can help with a person’s performance with their activities of daily living tasks outlined below:
Lift chair
Hand rails for the toilet
Meal delivery
Long-handled sponges for bathing
Splints that stabilize wrists and ankles
Non-skid bowls
Soft grip utensils and plate guards to prevent spills
Bed ladders
Dressing sticks to assist with getting dressed
Aging in Place
Aging in place items and redesign help modify a home for an elderly person. The design can address issues that make mobility and moving from one room to another. Prepare the home for easy to do everyday tasks. Consider ramps and railings to accommodate a wheelchair, walker or scooter. Convert a step-in shower into a walk-in tub or shower to make it easier for a person to bathe. If you do add a walk-in shower, get one that has a built-in seat. More and more persons living with ADL limitations have made these modifications.
Chronic Conditions
Beware of chronic conditions because they can debilitate an older person’s independence. For example, if a person lives with congestive heart failure or lung disease, they lack the physical endurance to do things on their own. Those with arthritis have trouble doing small, precise movements of the hands, like opening medication bottles. Impairments of vision and hearing can make self-care difficult too. If one has trouble reading the medication instructions, they’re at risk of taking the drug incorrectly.
Stay on top of the care plan and how the elderly person adjusts to doing the activities on their own. Monitor their weight, hygiene and overall interest in participation in the activities. Keep in mind that conditions, resources, and health can change. Some solutions that work right now may not in several months. Keep an eye out for improvements and remember it is an ongoing process.