Activities of Daily Living

Identifying Attributes

Care Settings
Residential Aged Care
Country
Australia
Publishing Organisation
National Aged Care Mandatory Quality Indicator Program
Type of Quality Indicator
Outcome
IOM Quality Dimension
Effectiveness
Domain
Function / Activities of Daily Living

Defining Attributes

Definition

Percentage of care recipients who experienced a decline in activities of daily living (ADL).

Numerator

Number of care recipients who experienced a decline in their ADL assessment total score of one or more points.

Denominator

Total number of care recipients assessed for ADL function.

Exclusions

Care recipients who were receiving end-of-life care for the entire quarter; or were absent from the service for the entire quarter; or did not have a previous quarter ADL assessment total score.

Use of Risk Adjustment
No
Risk Adjustments

None

Stratifications

None

Data Attributes

Type of Data Collection
Standardised clinical data
Data Collection Methods

A single assessment for each care recipient is completed around the same time every quarter and compared to their ADL assessment total score in the previous quarter to determine decline. Data items collected: Number of care recipients assessed for ADL function. Number of care recipients excluded because they were receiving end-of-life care. Number of care recipients excluded because they were absent from the service for the entire quarter. Number of care recipients excluded because they did not have an ADL assessment total score recorded for the previous quarter. Number of care recipients with an ADL assessment total score of zero in the previous quarter. Number of care recipients who experienced a decline in ADL assessment total score of one or more points.

Frequency of Data Collection
90 days
Frequency of Data Collection in Days
90
Reporting Methods

Reported at national, state, remoteness (www.gen-agedcaredata.gov.au/Topics/Quality-in-aged-care/Residential-Aged-Care-Quality-Indicators-latest-release) and facility level (www.myagedcare.gov.au/find-a-provider/search-by-name), every quarter. Included within an overall five-star quality rating program (n=5 QIs). Contributes to Star Ratings (care recipients with one or more pressure injuries).

Reporting Frequency
Quarterly
Reporting Frequency in Days
91
Indicator Has Recommended Targets
No

Source and Reference Attributes

Evidence Source

Department of Health and Aged Care. National Aged Care Mandatory Quality Indicator Program (QI Program). 2023 www.health.gov.au/our-work/qi-program

Link to Measurement Tools

Wade DT and Collin C (1988) The Barthel ADL Index: a standard measure of physical disability, International Disability Studies. 10(2): 64–67. See Appendix A www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/national-aged-care-mandatory-quality-indicator-program-manual-30-part-a

Quality Indicator Confirmed to be Part of a Program Used to Monitor Quality and Safety of Care Among Older People at a Population-Level between 2012-2022
Yes
Assessed by the Australian Consortium for Aged Care Collaborators as Generally Containing Good Properties (Importance and Scientific Acceptability)
No
Australian Consortium for Aged Care Endorsed
No
Identified by PHARMA-Care Project
No
Upload Date
12 March 2025