What Are ADLs and IADLs? HHA Exam Guide
ADLs (Activities of Daily Living) are basic self-care tasks — bathing, dressing, eating, toileting, transferring, and continence. IADLs (Instrumental Activities of Daily Living) are more complex tasks — cooking, cleaning, managing medications, and transportation. HHAs assist with both.
- ADLs: bathing, dressing, grooming, eating, toileting, transferring, continence
- IADLs: meal preparation, housekeeping, laundry, shopping, managing finances, transportation, managing medications
- HHAs assist with both ADLs and IADLs — but administering medications is outside HHA scope
Why?
ADLs and IADLs are the framework that defines an HHA's role. When the exam asks 'which of the following is within the HHA's scope of practice?' — the answer is almost always an ADL or IADL. Understanding the difference also helps you answer questions about client independence: preserving a client's ability to perform ADLs themselves (rather than doing everything for them) is a core HHA principle called 'restorative care.'
Your Options
- 1Memorize the 6 core ADLs with the acronym BATTED: Bathing, Ambulation (transferring), Toileting, Transfer, Eating, Dressing
- 2For IADLs, think of everything a person does to manage a household and life beyond basic self-care — cooking, cleaning, finances, transportation
- 3On scope of practice questions: if the task is an ADL or IADL (except medication administration), an HHA is likely authorized to help with it
Practice scope of practice and ADL/IADL questions with our free HHA practice test — the most common question type on the exam.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the 6 basic ADLs?
The 6 basic ADLs are: (1) Bathing — washing the body, (2) Dressing — putting on and removing clothing, (3) Grooming — hair care, oral hygiene, shaving, (4) Eating — feeding oneself, (5) Toileting — using the toilet and managing continence, (6) Transferring — moving from bed to chair, standing up, walking. Some frameworks also include continence management as a separate 6th ADL.
What are examples of IADLs?
IADLs include: meal preparation and cooking, light housekeeping and laundry, grocery shopping and errands, managing finances and paying bills, managing and organizing medications (but NOT administering them), arranging transportation, and using the telephone or technology. IADLs require higher cognitive function than ADLs.
Can an HHA help with medication management?
HHAs can assist with medication reminders and organizing pill boxes in some states, but administering medications — giving pills, injections, or any form of drug delivery — is outside HHA scope of practice in most states. This is one of the most tested scope of practice distinctions on the HHA exam.
What is restorative care and why does it matter on the HHA exam?
Restorative care is the philosophy of helping clients maintain and improve their ability to perform ADLs themselves, rather than doing everything for them. For example, encouraging a client to button their own shirt rather than doing it for them. HHA exam questions often test whether candidates know to encourage independence rather than creating unnecessary dependency.