12/05/2025
Caring for someone with dementia means watching more than just memory changes. It means noticing how well they handle the everyday tasks that keep them clean, comfortable, safe, and connected to the world around them. That’s why experienced family caregivers and healthcare professionals often look at three categories of abilities: (ADLs), (IADLs)—also known as Life Management Skills—and a third, dementia-specific group of abilities that aren’t measured by traditional tools.
ADLs are the hands-on personal care tasks your loved one must do each day—bathing and grooming, getting dressed, eating and drinking, moving safely around the home, using the toilet, and maintaining bladder and bowel control.
Life Management Skills, or , are the everyday tasks that keep life running smoothly. They include staying in touch with others through phone, mail, or email; shopping for food, toiletries, and essentials; preparing safe and nutritious meals; and keeping the home clean and in good working order. They also involve doing laundry, managing medications, handling money safely, and arranging transportation to appointments, events, and gatherings. These are the “think-plan-do” skills—tasks that require memory, judgment, sequencing, and organization. When these begin to falter, it’s often a sign that your needs more consistent help behind the scenes.
But for people living with dementia, there’s a third category of abilities that begins to change—abilities not captured by standard ADL or IADL measures. This is where the becomes an essential tool. It looks at dementia-specific skills such as:
- Orientation to time — knowing the day or date, distinguishing morning from night, or avoiding repetitive questions about the time.
- Orientation to place — recognizing familiar surroundings, finding the bathroom, navigating rooms safely, or understanding that they are at home rather than trying to leave.
- Hobbies and activities — participating in favorite pastimes, following instructions, staying engaged, or joining in without constant prompting.
When changes appear in these dementia-related abilities, they provide families with crucial insight. These shifts can indicate when a loved one needs more structure, greater supervision, or additional safety supports. Understanding where abilities are slipping helps caregivers respond early—protecting dignity, improving safety, and easing the emotional toll of uncertainty.
The Bristol ADL Scale brings all three domains together—ADLs, Life Management Skills, and dementia-specific changes—to give caregivers a clearer, more complete picture of what their loved one can do today and where help is needed tomorrow.
If you’re beginning to see subtle changes, this tool can turn worry into understanding and confusion into direction. And most importantly, it gives family caregivers the confidence to take the next step with compassion and clarity.
Watch and learn how the Bristol ADL Scale can help you and your family. https://youtube.com/shorts/J0ryqOFIKQA
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If you’re starting to notice changes in your aging loved one with , the is one of the most complete tools available to help you und...
