What Does Activities of Daily Living (ADL) Mean?
Activities of daily living (ADL) refers to various activities that people do each day without requiring any assistance. They comprise:
- Eating, bathing, and dressing;
- Toileting, i.e. the ability to get on and off the toilet in addition to performing various personal hygiene activities;
- Transferring, i.e. the ability to get in and out of bed or a chair without requiring assistance; and
- Maintaining continence, i.e. having the ability to control one’s bladder and bowel functions.
When individuals require help with at least two of the ADLs, their long-term care insurance starts providing the benefits listed in the policy.