What Are Activities of Daily Living and Why Are They Important for Your Elderly Loved One?

Activities of daily living, also called ADLs, are those activities that signal to you that your loved one is either healthy or is in need of some extra help. Paying attention to these activities can help you to spot physical and mental health issues much more quickly than you might have otherwise.
Eating Nutritious Meals Regularly Eating nutritious meals means that your elderly loved one is properly fueling her body. Eating lots of processed foods or relying on takeout or delivery food is likely to contribute to health problems such as high blood pressure. If your loved one isn't eating regularly, she's likely to feel weak and to begin suffering from malnutrition.
Bathing, Dressing, and Grooming Being able to wash herself, dress herself, and keep herself adequately groomed is also important for your elderly loved one. If she's physically unable to manage these tasks any longer, your loved one may find herself dealing with health ramifications from that. It's also possible that a loved one who is no longer paying attention to her own personal care may be depressed.
Toileting and Managing Issues Related to Toileting Most people take for granted being able to use the toilet on their own and to manage all of the issues that can go along with that, such as incontinence. At some point, however, your loved one may find herself unable to handle those tasks on her own any longer. This is a major health and sanitation issue, so the sooner you can help her deal with this problem, the better.
Maintaining Mobility Mobility refers to your elderly loved one's ability to move about freely in her home. This could mean walking or it could mean that she's successfully able to navigate with assistive devices, such as walkers, canes, or even a wheelchair. Your loved one might have decreased mobility due to physical issues or she may have developed other issues, such as hoarding, that keep her from being able to safely move throughout her home. Difficulty with these activities of daily living may mean that your job as a caregiver is becoming much more involved. Hiring senior care providers can help to take some of the strain from your shoulders alone.
If you or an aging loved one are considering senior care in Jupiter Island, FL, contact the caring staff at BrightStar Care of Jupiter. Call today (561) 741-1200.