Katz Index to evaluate how well you or your loved one completes the activities of daily living.
We had a sense that something was not right but we were not sure. First we noticed that it was taking my dad a lot longer to get ready. He was losing weight, but there was lots of food available or he could go to the dinning room for meals.
Then the long-term-care insurance company needed us to tell them how well he performed the activities of daily living, or "ADL." Their legal descriptions were hard to understand.
If you have the same struggles, we encourage you to download the Katz Index tool and use it as often as you need to track progress, discuss concerns with your health care providers, and share concerns with other family members and friends. We also encourage you to read the related posts that cover each of the areas for more information.
Many thanks to NYU School of Nursing for their help.
Source: "try this:Best Practices in Nursing Care to Older Adults," Marie Boltz, PhD, GNP-BC, and Mary Shelkey,PhD, ARNP, The Hartford Institute for GeriatricNursing, New York University, College of Nursing, Issue Number 2, Revised 2007, www.hartfordign.org and/or www.ConsultGeriRN.org.
Download the Katz Index for a measure of your capabilities in the areas of:
Bathing
Dressing
Toileting
Transferring
Continence
Feeding