Activities of daily living (ADLs) are routine daily tasks such as eating, bathing, dressing, work and play that are important for maintaining independence and health. Physical, psychological, social and environmental factors all influence a person's ability to perform ADLs, which may change throughout the lifespan depending on age and health status. Understanding human needs and how they relate to ADLs helps nurses provide holistic care, prioritize care activities, and support patients' growth and independence.

2. ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING
( ADL) are the activities
usually performed in the
course of a normal day in
the individual’s life such as
eating , working or brushing
the teeth.

3.  Maintaining safe environment :
 To achieve personal & domestic cleanliness & aimed at
decreasing the number of micro-organisms to maintain a
safe environment.
 Communication :
 Communication is the process of exchanging
thoughts, ideas, of feeling from one individual to
others.
 Verbal & non verbal communication
 Breathing :
 In the breathing process, the cell of the body
receives air,( oxygen ) essential for all the body
cells , without which human life will not exist.

4.  Eating & drinking :
 They are essential activities of the daily living
 Human life cannot be sustained for all the body cells,
without eating & drinking.
 Many people in the world die daily due to starvation.
 Eliminating :
 Eliminating ( bath , urinary & faecal ) likes eating &
drinking is necessary & on integral activity of everyday
life, eliminating is regard as a highly private activity.
 Personal cleansing & Dressing :
 Activities included are washing, bathing, care of hair,
nails ,teeth , mouth & clothing.
 Controlling body temperature :
 Regulation of body temperature is essential for different
biological processcess.
 People have to avoid the hazards & discomfort of heat &
cold by varying the amount of clothing , regulating the
amount of physical activity, etc

5.  Mobilizing :
 Mobilizing includes the movement produced by groups
of large muscles ( e.g. facial expression & gestures ).
 Working & Playing :
 Work & play are important for physical & mental
health.
 Expressing Sexuality / Reproduction :
 Style of dress , physical appearance , & in many forms
of verbal & non –verbal communication are other
ways in which sexuality is expressed.
 Sleeping :
 Essential for healthy living
 The body process does not stop during sleep.
 All individual have periods of activity & sleep.

6.  Spirituality :
 Spirituality may include religion.
 Religion is often characteristiced by set
forms of worships & codes of conduct.
 Dying :
 Dying is also included in the activities of
living.
 It is the final act of living.

7. 1. Physical factors :
 Body’s physical ability alters according to the
age. e.g. reduced physical ability in the old
age.
 The physical factor of the body has an
important influence on the individual’s
activities of daily living throughout the life.
 E.g. cardio pulmonary system with the ADL of
breathing , the musculo-skeletal system with
the ADL of mobilizing.

8. Psychological factors :
 Intellectual aspects
 Emotional aspects
 Socio-cultural factors
 Environmental factors
 Politico- Economic factors :
 ADL by its norms.

9.  Knowledge of human needs helps nurses to :
1. Understand themselves, so that they can meet
their personal needs outside the health care
setting ,
E.g: maintenance of body temperature.
2. Set priorities as in giving care.
E.g.working & playing will assume a low
priornality during a period of critical illnss.
3.Better to understand patient’s behaviour so that
they can respond terapeutically rather than
emotionally
E.g. a patient putting on his signal light
repeatedly may convey the message of need
for safety.

10. 4.Relieve the distress of patients
E. g. helping a patient to meet his unmet
need of love & affection.
5. To get used to all ages & in all health care
settings both at health & illness .it is an
approach for holistic nursing care.
6. Help client to develop & grow
E.g Nurse can help clients to move towards
self actualization by helping them to find
meaning on their illness experience.
7. Provide a frame work & be applied in the
nursing process at the individual & family
level.