What are IADLs?

• A. Activities that support daily life within the home and community, requiring more complex interactions than ADLs.
• B. Basic self-care tasks like bathing and feeding.
• C. Recreational activities without daily living relevance.
• D. Medical management tasks performed by professionals only.

Answer: (A)

IADLs are activities that support daily life within the home and the community and require more complex interactions than basic self-care. In OT, we distinguish them from ADLs, which are fundamental self-care tasks like bathing, dressing, feeding, toileting, and basic mobility. IADLs involve planning, problem-solving, organization, and safety, and they enable independent living in everyday environments. Examples include managing finances, meal planning and preparation, shopping, transportation, housework and laundry, using communication devices, medication management, home maintenance, and community mobility. This is why the correct option fits: it describes tasks that sustain daily life beyond the basics and demand higher-level skills. The other choices refer to routine self-care, purely recreational activities, or tasks typically done by professionals, which do not capture the nature of IADLs.