During a physical assessment, a nurse notes an older adult has difficulty removing clothes. Which ADL should be evaluated to determine this person’s ability to perform daily activities?

During a physical assessment, a nurse notes an older adult has difficulty removing clothes. Which ADL should be evaluated to determine this person’s ability to perform daily activities?

• A. Housekeeping
• B. Laundry
• C. Bathing
• D. Walking

Answer: (C)

Removing clothes is a prerequisite for personal care during bathing, which is a basic activity of daily living. If an older adult has trouble undressing, it directly signals limited ability to bathe independently, since bathing includes undressing, washing, and redressing. Evaluating bathing assesses the person's self-care function, including upper-extremity dexterity, range of motion, balance, and safety during a common daily task. The other options involve more complex or different domains: housekeeping and laundry are instrumental activities of daily living, and walking assesses mobility rather than a self-care task. So, assessing bathing provides the most direct insight into the person’s ability to perform daily activities.

Removing clothes is a prerequisite for personal care during bathing, which is a basic activity of daily living. If an older adult has trouble undressing, it directly signals limited ability to bathe independently, since bathing includes undressing, washing, and redressing. Evaluating bathing assesses the person's self-care function, including upper-extremity dexterity, range of motion, balance, and safety during a common daily task. The other options involve more complex or different domains: housekeeping and laundry are instrumental activities of daily living, and walking assesses mobility rather than a self-care task. So, assessing bathing provides the most direct insight into the person’s ability to perform daily activities.