Supporting Independence with Personal Care in Clarks Summit, PA

Personal care is defined as the need for assistance with daily living. Activities of Daily Living, or “ADLs” are a series of basic activities necessary for independent living at home or within the community, and are performed daily. There are many variations on the definition of ADLs, but most organizations agree there are five primary categories, listed here:

1. Personal hygiene – bathing/showering, grooming, nail care, and oral care.
2. Dressing – being able to make appropriate clothing decisions and physically dress and undress oneself.
3. Eating – the ability to feed oneself, though not necessarily the capability to prepare food.
4. Maintaining continence – being able to mentally and physically use a restroom. This includes the ability to get on and off the toilet and clean oneself.
5. Transferring/Mobility- is the ability to stand from a sitting position, as well as get in and out of bed. The ability to move independently from one location to another either independently or with the use of a device such as a walker or a wheelchair.

What are Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs)?

IADLs (Instrumental activities of daily living) are not necessary for fundamental functioning, but they allow individuals to live independently in their community and include more complex independent living tasks like:

• Cleaning and maintaining a home
• Managing money
• Preparing meals
• Shopping for groceries and other necessities
• Using the telephone, computer, or other forms of communication
• Managing Medications
• Transportation

How are ADLs and IADL’s Used in Senior Care and Assisted Living?

Together, ADLs and IADLs make up the skills a person generally needs to successfully and safely live independently. The ability or inability to perform ADLs and IADLs determines the need for care services such as occupational or physical therapy and more. 

When completing patient assessments, Administrators and Wellness Directors establish a support plan based on the resident’s needs with their ADLs and IADLs. In addition, to offset the costs of assisted living, eligible residents may choose to apply for Veteran’s Benefits or long-term care benefits. In most cases, the facility or service provider must perform two to three ADLs for the benefit to be approved.

At The Pines Senior Living, you can expect continuous, exceptional service with friendly, familiar faces. Our professional staff provides discreet personal care in the way that is most comfortable to you. 

Contact us today to learn more about how we can support you or a loved one. 

Learn more about our specialized care services HERE.