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An Introduction to Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)

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6m of CPD
Activities of daily living (ADLs) are the fundamental life skills that someone must be able to perform in order to independently care for themselves. Someone who struggles with ADLs is likely to experience a poorer quality of life, and depend more on other people and mobility devices.

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The term activities of daily living (ADLs), which was created by Sidney Katz in 1950, refers to the fundamental life skills that someone must be able to perform in order to independently care for themselves. Being able to perform ADLs is an indicator of functional status. Someone who struggles with ADLs is likely to experience a poorer quality of life, depend more on other people and mobility devices, and live with a risk of harm if not properly cared for.

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Ausmed’s editorial team is committed to providing high-quality, well-researched and reputable education to our users, free of any commercial bias or conflict of interest. All education produced by Ausmed is developed in consultation with healthcare professionals and undergoes a regular rigorous review process to ensure the relevancy of all healthcare information and updates to changes in practice. If you have identified an issue with the education offered by Ausmed or wish to submit feedback to Ausmed's editorial team, please email ausmed@ausmed.com.au with your concerns.
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10 Jan 2022
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12 Dec 2021
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11 Jan 2022
Good refresher
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Claire Ammellino
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Good topic
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27 Jan 2022
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Martine Woods
21 Dec 2021
Helpful and clear
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Nicola Fiore
12 Jan 2022
Great refresher. Easily transferable to clinical practice.
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Richard Evetts
15 May 2022
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A good succinct resource.
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