Towards an ADL taxonomy for occupational therapists

One of the main concepts in occupational therapy is human occupation. In occupational therapy there is a need for a common conceptual framework to assess and describe the ability of patients to perform occupational activities of daily living. The aim of this report was to develop a taxonomy concerning the activities of daily living (ADL). In the taxonomy, occupation has been defined and related to common concepts of disability. Ordinary ADL terms have been categorized into three levels: occupational forms, activities and actions. Different actions are components of and subordinated to superior activities. Experience shows that the ADL taxonomy contributes to a valid (content and construct) assessment of ADL, a common language for OTs and to a clearer picture of the patient's performance in daily life activities.