These are the activities that are fundamental for self care. Elders who maintain their ADL's have a higher level of independence. Declines in these functions are predictive of poor outcomes in hospitalization, illness and higher mortality. The easiest way to remember these is that they are the functions you had to do in order to leave home to go to "kindergarten". You had to be able to dress, feed, ambulate, toilet and perform your own hygiene.

Another way to remember the ADL's is to think of this mnemonic:

"DEATH"

D ress, E at, A mbulate, T ransfer/T oilet, H ygiene. "If you can't do your ADL's, you're dead".

Normally these activities are performed independently. As the frail elderly becomes progressively unable to do these tasks, they require more and more caregiving assistance. The amount of assistance depends on the type of help needed; an older adult who only needs help with bathing may require assistance every few days, whereas someone who has difficulty transferring might require full-time help. The loss of independence in the performance of an ADL may be a sign of a chronic illness such as dementia, depression or heart failure.