Basic needs of care and activities of daily living
Definitions & Key takeaways
Basic care needs and activities of daily living (ADLs) refer to the tasks that people typically do each day in order to maintain their independence and quality of life. ADLs include bathing, dressing, grooming, using the toilet, transferring from bed to chair, eating, etc.
Most people are able to live independently and fully participate in their community if they are able to perform basic care needs and ADLs. However, for some people, it may be necessary to receive assistance with one or more of these activities. These include people with illnesses, traumas from accidents, or people with advanced age. As a healthcare provider, you need to understand how to recognize and assist people with such problems.
We all have needs, and your client is no exception. A need is a necessary component in order to survive and maintain physical and mental health.
Most people are able to fulfill their own needs. However, experiencing an illness, an accident, or advanced age can prevent them from doing so.
As a nursing assistant, you need to recognize and assist these clients. Abraham Maslow, a well-known American psychologist, listed the needs in order of priority, and that list is referred to as Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.
It’s often presented in the shape of a pyramid with the lower-level, or fundamental, needs at the bottom and the higher-level needs at the top.
Remember, a person’s lower-level needs have to be fulfilled before they try to achieve higher-level needs. At the bottom of the pyramid are the physiological needs, such as oxygen, water, food, shelter, and rest.
These needs must be met for a person to stay alive. Now, above them, there’s safety.
In a healthcare environment, clients often feel uncomfortable or unsafe. Make sure to help them feel secure by explaining to them all procedures and listening to their concerns.
Next is the need for a sense of love and belonging. This need is usually fulfilled by family, friends, and, in the case of a client, their team of healthcare providers.
Then, moving higher in the pyramid, there’s self-esteem, which is the sense of self-worth, or self-respect. When a person loses the ability to take care of himself, for example, due to a neurological disorder such as Parkinson disease, they might lose their self-esteem.
Be sure to encourage them to take care of themselves as much as possible. Finally, at the top, there’s self-actualization, which is doing all that you’re capable of and achieving your full potential.
Alright, let’s switch gears and talk about activities of daily living, or ADLs. These are tasks done by the individual to fulfill their basic needs on a daily basis.
Performing these activities, for instance, maintaining good personal hygiene, is essential for one’s physical and mental health.
Some people might not be capable of performing one or more of these activities, so you will be required to assist them. A nurse will assign the tasks to you and provide supervision.
You’ll be asked to report important information or issues that arise to the nurse. You’ll also need to document these as well as details about the task, like what time was the task performed, how many people were required, or was the task performed successfully.
All right, as a quick recap… According to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, everyone has to satisfy their more basic needs, like their physiological needs and the need for safety, before higher level needs, like self actualization.
These lower level needs are often accomplished through the activities of daily living, which include eating; drinking water; eliminating urine and feces; bathing, dressing, and grooming; and moving from place to place.
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