Many families first hear the phrase “activities of daily living” when they are trying to understand a long-term care insurance claim.
By then, care may already be needed. A parent may be struggling to bathe safely, get dressed, use the bathroom, or move from bed to chair without help.
These changes can feel personal and difficult to talk about. But they matter because many long-term care insurance policies use Activities of Daily Living, often called ADLs, to help determine whether benefits may apply.
Understanding the six ADLs can help families recognize care needs more clearly and have better conversations with doctors, care providers, and insurance representatives.
What Are Activities of Daily Living?
Activities of Daily Living, often called ADLs, are the basic personal care tasks a person needs to do each day to live safely and with dignity.
For long-term care insurance, the focus is usually on whether someone can complete these tasks safely, consistently, and without regular help.
The six common ADLs are:
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Bathing
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Dressing
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Eating
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Toileting
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Transferring
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Continence
A loved one may still be able to do some of these tasks on a “good day,” but still need support if the task is unsafe, inconsistent, or affected by memory loss, weakness, balance problems, or confusion.
Why ADLs Matter for Long-Term Care Insurance Claims
Many long-term care insurance policies use ADLs as part of the benefit trigger. In simple terms, the policy may look at whether the insured person needs help with a certain number of daily living activities before benefits can begin.
This is why vague descriptions like “Dad is getting older” or “Mom needs more help” may not be enough. The need usually has to be connected to specific daily tasks.
For example, a family may need to explain that their loved one:
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Cannot bathe safely without help
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Needs assistance getting dressed
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Requires support getting out of bed
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Needs help with toileting or continence care
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Has memory loss that makes daily routines unsafe
Every policy is different, so families should always review the actual policy language. Still, understanding the six ADLs can make the process feel less confusing and help families describe care needs in a clearer way.
The 6 Activities of Daily Living Explained
Each ADL may sound simple at first. In real life, these tasks can involve balance, strength, memory, hygiene, privacy, and safety. They can also create stress for family caregivers who are trying to help while still respecting their loved one’s independence.
1. Bathing
Bathing includes washing oneself in a shower, bathtub, or by sponge bath. It may also include getting in and out of the shower or tub safely.
Families may notice skipped showers, fear of falling, trouble washing certain areas, or a need for someone nearby. Bathing is often one of the first ADLs families recognize because it involves balance, strength, memory, and privacy.
2. Dressing
Dressing means being able to choose clothing and put it on or take it off.
A loved one may need help if they struggle with buttons, zippers, socks, or shoes, wear the same clothes for several days, dress for the wrong weather, or become confused by the steps involved. Dressing is about more than appearance. It also supports comfort, dignity, and daily confidence.
3. Eating
Eating usually refers to the physical ability to feed oneself. It does not always include cooking, grocery shopping, or preparing meals.
A loved one may need help if they struggle with utensils, need food cut into smaller pieces, become tired during meals, forget to eat, or start losing weight. Eating concerns should be taken seriously because poor nutrition can affect strength, healing, mood, and fall risk.
4. Toileting
Toileting includes getting to and from the toilet, using it safely, cleaning oneself afterward, and managing clothing.
A loved one may need help if they have accidents, struggle to sit or stand, fall or nearly fall in the bathroom, or become confused about bathroom routines. It can be uncomfortable to talk about, but toileting is one of the clearest signs that more daily support may be needed.
5. Transferring
Transferring means moving from one position or place to another, such as getting out of bed, standing from a chair, or getting on and off the toilet.
A loved one may need help if they struggle to stand, lose balance while moving, need support with a walker, or cannot safely get to the bathroom at night. Transfer issues can quickly increase fall risk, especially when someone is tired, weak, or confused.
6. Continence
Continence means the ability to control bladder and bowel function or properly manage incontinence care.
A loved one may need help if they have frequent accidents, soiled clothing or bedding, skin irritation, or trouble changing protective garments. It can be a sensitive issue, but continence care is important for hygiene, comfort, dignity, and overall safety.
ADLs vs. IADLs: A Common Source of Confusion
Families often confuse ADLs with IADLs, or Instrumental Activities of Daily Living. IADLs are important, but they are different from the six basic ADLs. They usually involve more complex tasks, such as:
A person may need help with IADLs before they need help with ADLs. For example, Dad may no longer drive or manage medications safely, but he may still bathe, dress, eat, and transfer on his own.
Both types of support matter, but when families are reviewing long-term care insurance, the six ADLs are often especially important to understand.
How Families Can Track ADL Changes at Home
A simple care journal can help families notice patterns over time.
Write down specific examples of what happened, not just general concerns. For example, instead of “Dad needed help,” note that “Dad needed help standing from his chair and walking to the bathroom after dinner.”
You can also track how often help is needed and whether there are safety concerns like falls, confusion, skipped hygiene, or missed meals. The goal is not to document everything perfectly. It is to create a clearer picture of what your loved one needs day to day.
When ADL Needs May Mean It Is Time for In-Home Care
When a loved one starts needing regular help with bathing, toileting, transferring, or continence, care can become too much for one family member to manage alone.
That does not mean the family has failed. It means the care needs have changed.
Professional in-home caregivers can help with personal care, safe movement, hygiene routines, meal support, medication reminders, companionship, and overnight supervision when needed. For many families, support starts with a few hours a day. For others, especially when dementia, fall risk, or nighttime confusion are involved, more consistent care may be the safest choice.
Talk With 24 Hour Caregivers About Daily Care Needs
At 24 Hour Caregivers, we understand how personal these daily changes can feel. Needing help with bathing, dressing, toileting, or mobility is not just a care issue. It affects dignity, independence, safety, and family peace of mind.
Our team can help families think through their loved one’s daily support needs and create a care plan that helps them remain safer and more comfortable at home.
If your loved one is starting to need help with Activities of Daily Living, we are here to talk through the next step with compassion and clarity.
