---
title: "ADLs: the 6 activities of daily living explained"
description: "The six ADLs care teams check, how they differ from IADLs, how help with ADLs shapes care choices and costs, and a free printable checklist."
url: https://seniorchoicecare.com/assess/activities-of-daily-living/
updated: 2026-10-10
site: Senior Choice Care
---

Explainer

# Activities of daily living (ADLs): what they are and why they matter

ADLs are the yardstick almost every care provider, assessor and insurer uses. If you can describe your parent's needs in these terms, conversations with doctors and agencies get easier and faster.

**2 minute read** Updated October 9, 2026Written by the Senior Choice Care team

In short

Activities of daily living, or ADLs, are the basic self-care tasks: bathing, dressing, toileting, transferring (moving from bed to chair), continence and feeding. Care teams check which ones a person can do alone. Needing hands-on help with ADLs is what usually separates help at home from assisted living or nursing home care.

**Written by the Senior Choice Care team** Updated October 9, 2026. Facts are checked against the sources listed at the end of this page. General information; every family is different.

**On this page**

1. [ The six ADLs](#s-the-six-adls)
2. [Why ADLs matter for care decisions](#s-why-adls-matter-for-care-decisions)
3. [ADLs and IADLs](#s-adls-and-iadls)
4. [Check your parent's ADLs](#s-check-your-parent-s-adls)
5. [Questions families ask](#s-faq)

## The six ADLs

### The six activities of daily living

Bathing
Washing in a tub, shower or by sponge bath

Dressing
Choosing and putting on clothes

Toileting
Getting to the toilet, using it and cleaning up

Transferring
Moving in and out of a bed or chair

Continence
Controlling bladder and bowel

Feeding
Getting food from plate to mouth

These are the six functions in the Katz Index of Independence in Activities of Daily Living, which the Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing describes as the most appropriate instrument for this kind of assessment.

## Why ADLs matter for care decisions

- **Level of care.** The National Institute on Aging describes most home-based care as help with everyday activities like bathing, dressing and eating. More ADL needs usually mean more hours, or a setting with staff on site.
- **Coverage.** Medicare does not pay for custodial care, meaning help with ADLs, when that is the only care needed. Long-term care insurance and Medicaid programs often look at ADL needs to decide eligibility.
- **Tracking change.** The Hartford Institute notes ADL checks are most useful when compared over time, starting from a baseline when the person is well.

## ADLs and IADLs

ADLs are self-care. [IADLs](https://seniorchoicecare.com/assess/iadls/) are the tasks of running a household, such as shopping, cooking, managing money and medicines. IADL trouble often shows up first.

## Check your parent's ADLs

Our [ADL and IADL checklist](https://seniorchoicecare.com/assess/adl-checklist/) covers both lists and prints a summary you can take to the doctor.

## Questions families ask

### How many ADLs are there?

Six are commonly used: bathing, dressing, toileting, transferring, continence and feeding, as in the Katz Index.

### What is the difference between ADLs and IADLs?

ADLs are basic self-care. IADLs are more complex household tasks such as housework, shopping, finances and using the phone.

### Does Medicare pay for help with ADLs?

Not when it is the only care needed. Medicare says it doesn't cover custodial care such as help with bathing, dressing and eating.

### Who assesses ADLs?

Nurses, doctors, occupational therapists, social workers and care managers. Assisted living communities and Medicaid programs also do their own assessments.

## Sources

- [Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing: Katz Index of Independence in ADLs](https://hign.org/consultgeri/try-this-series/katz-index-independence-activities-daily-living-adl)
- [National Institute on Aging: What is long-term care?](https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/long-term-care/what-long-term-care)
- [Medicare.gov: Long-term care coverage](https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/long-term-care)

## Read next

- [Assess](https://seniorchoicecare.com/assess/)
- [IADLs](https://seniorchoicecare.com/assess/iadls/)
- [ADL checklist](https://seniorchoicecare.com/assess/adl-checklist/)
- [Care-level matcher](https://seniorchoicecare.com/assess/care-level-matcher/)
- [Katz index](https://seniorchoicecare.com/assess/katz-index/)
- [Caregiver burnout quiz](https://seniorchoicecare.com/assess/caregiver-burnout-quiz/)
- [Cognitive tests](https://seniorchoicecare.com/assess/cognitive-tests-for-dementia/)
- [Geriatric assessment](https://seniorchoicecare.com/assess/geriatric-assessment/)

---
Canonical page: https://seniorchoicecare.com/assess/activities-of-daily-living/