Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)
The basic self-care tasks everyone does every day, bathing, dressing, toileting, eating and mobility.
Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) are the fundamental self-care routines that most adults complete without thinking, bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, eating, and moving around the home. In occupational therapy assessment, ADLs are the first skills checked after stroke, traumatic brain injury, dementia diagnosis, or in paediatric developmental review. Independence in ADLs is often the benchmark that decides whether a patient can return home after hospital, whether an elderly parent needs live-in support, and whether a child is meeting developmental milestones. The term contrasts with IADLs (instrumental activities), which are more complex tasks like managing money, cooking, or taking public transport.
Related OT services
Stroke Recovery & Rehabilitation
Stroke recovery does not end at hospital discharge. The real work, relearning daily tasks, regaining independence, preventing a second stroke, starts with the right OT. Search Malaysia's #1 dedicated occupational therapy directory to find a stroke rehabilitation specialist near you.
Geriatric Occupational Therapy
Malaysia's #1 dedicated directory for geriatric occupational therapists. Falls prevention, dementia care, stroke recovery, and home modifications for elderly Malaysians. Find the right OT for your parent in any state and know what to expect before the first session.