ADLs: You Would Resist, Too, If It Happened to You

Many elders need help with Activities of Daily Living, commonly known as ADLs. They include dressing, bathing, grooming (hair and nail care, brushing teeth), continence care (also known as toileting), and eating and drinking (nutrition and hydration). These are often considered tasks to be completed, but if seen as opportunities for building relationships, everyone’s satisfaction increases. One of the phrases that is like fingernails on a chalkboard is “resistance to care,” implying that the older adult we intend to help is ungrateful and cranky. Whether or not people have dementia, people say “no”…