| Do your nursing assistants work with elderly people? If | | | | activities: |
| so, part of their job is probably to keep their senior | | | | - Eating |
| clients as active as possible. For example, your CNAs | | | | - Toileting |
| may be tasked with assisting with ADLs and IADLs. | | | | - Dressing |
| But, do your nursing assistants know the difference? | | | | - Bathing |
| At your next CNA in service meeting, you can use the | | | | - Walking |
| following information as a quick review. | | | | - Getting in and out of a bed or a chair |
| Activity & the Elderly | | | | - Getting outside Instrumental Activities of Daily Living |
| Think of all the activities that are part of your life-from | | | | (IADL's) |
| the moment you get up until your head hits the pillow | | | | You may also have heard about "instrumental activities |
| at night. Your life is busy with things that you have to | | | | of daily living". IADL's are important activities-especially |
| do-like getting dressed and eating dinner-and things | | | | for people who live on their own. These "instrumental" |
| that you like to do-like talking to friends and watching | | | | activities include six home management activities: |
| TV. And, sometimes it seems like your days contain | | | | - Preparing meals |
| too many activities and too little time, right? | | | | - Shopping for personal items |
| While you may wish for days with nothing on your | | | | - Managing money |
| schedule, imagine how empty your life would be | | | | - Using the telephone |
| without activity! Remember...it's all the ways that you | | | | - Doing heavy housework |
| spend time throughout your day that add spice to your | | | | - Doing light housework Activities can help pass the |
| life. | | | | time and/or be a fun way for people to maintain or |
| People of all ages want to live full lives, but for some | | | | regain function. For example, Mr. Wilson is recovering |
| elderly people staying active becomes more difficult | | | | from a mild stroke that affected his right arm and |
| than it once was. For example, a woman with arthritis | | | | hand. He finds working on a jigsaw puzzle a pleasant |
| may give up her favorite hobby of needlework | | | | way to spend his time, but because he's trying to pick |
| because of joint pain. A man with cancer may be so | | | | up the puzzle pieces with his weak right hand, this |
| depressed that he chooses to sleep all day. Or, people | | | | activity is also therapy for him. |
| who are confused may find it difficult to complete a | | | | Remember...activities can: |
| game or puzzle, so they give up and do nothing. | | | | - Entertain...like watching a movie. |
| Maintaining an active lifestyle helps elderly people enjoy | | | | - Provide a distraction...like playing cards. |
| a high quality of life. Most people are happy when life is | | | | - Promote communication...like chatting with friends. |
| a balance between: | | | | - Complete a necessary task...like taking a bath. |
| - Resting. | | | | - Have a therapeutic value...like going for a walk. |
| - Performing personal hygiene. | | | | - Stimulate thinking...like doing a crossword puzzle. |
| - Meeting daily needs (eating, toileting, etc.). | | | | - Promote creativity...like painting a picture. |
| - Socializing. | | | | - Improve the quality of life...like any of the above! And, |
| - Exercising. | | | | activities can be: |
| - Performing personal activities such as hobbies. | | | | - Planned...like a weekly outing to church. |
| Remember, the population of the United States is | | | | - Spur-of-the- moment...like singing along with a song on |
| getting older! And, as people live longer and longer, | | | | the radio. |
| staying active and enjoying life is becoming more | | | | - Daily...like getting dressed. |
| important than ever before. Because you spend a lot | | | | - Occasional...like going out to eat. Everything you do |
| of time with your elderly clients, you have the | | | | with your clients can be considered an activity-it's just |
| opportunity to improve the quality of their lives by | | | | that some activities are part of the daily routine and |
| helping them stay active. | | | | others make life more fun and interesting! |
| Activities of Daily Living (ADL's) | | | | Would Your Nursing Assistants Like to Know More? |
| Have you heard people talk about the "activities of | | | | If so, consider presenting an in service that includes the |
| daily living" or ADL's? About one fourth of elderly | | | | consequences of being inactive, information about ten |
| Americans need help with these personal care | | | | or more different types of activities and activities for |
| activities. A big part of your job is probably to assist | | | | special client populations (such as clients with cognitive |
| your clients as they perform their ADL's. | | | | impairments). Happy Teaching! |
| The activities of daily living include seven personal care | | | | |