Activities of Daily Living Assessment
An Activities of Daily Living Assessment (ADL), usually conducted in a worker’s home environment, assesses the worker’s functional performance in the areas of personal care, home maintenance and recreational and social activities, taking into account their pre-injury status.
The purpose of the assessment is to restore function or improve a worker’s level of participation and safety in activities of daily living and reduce the potential adverse impact of the injury on the worker to facilitate early return to normal activity and independence. It will provide an indicator of the worker’s functional tolerances for determining work capacity. The assessment assists to identify the level and type of assistance the worker requires in order to live as independently as possible. An ADL is also useful prior to major surgery for a worker or to prevent further injury or aggravation of injury.
The service is designed to:
- Identify functional abilities (i.e. personal care, household tasks, home maintenance and child care) in the performance of activities of daily living
- Educate the worker in the correct biomechanical performance of tasks, task simplification, activity pacing and energy conservation techniques
- Promote normalisation of activity, an increase in functional ability and activity tolerance by instigating a graduated home activity program using daily tasks
- Determine the need for equipment, therapeutic aids and appliances designed to assist with daily tasks
- Determine the need for housing modifications
- Prescribe and instruct in the use of equipment, therapeutic aids and appliances
- Determine whether the worker needs support services from a third party in the performance of personal care and/or household tasks
- Determine timeframes for review of equipment requirements, independent living support services and/or household services
Our Therapist will perform an assessment in the worker’s home and review their ability to independently perform activities. Areas to be reported on can be selected by the referrer using a
referral form, in order to clearly identify the items that the referrer wants to address.
Following the assessment, the Therapist can then make recommendations relating to equipment prescription, aids/appliances, third party support services (eg. cleaner) safe working practices and home modifications as necessary. Our Therapist can assist in the coordination of these aids/services if requested, as well as provide education on correct biomechanical performance of tasks, task simplification and energy conservation techniques.