This calculator is for general information and education. It is not medical advice and does not replace the judgment of a doctor, nurse or pharmacist who knows the full clinical picture.
Living independently takes more than self-care
Being able to wash and dress is not enough to live alone safely. You also need to shop, cook, keep the house, manage medication and handle money. These instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) depend on planning, memory and judgment as much as on physical ability. M. Powell Lawton and Elaine Brody published their scale in 1969, and it remains one of the most widely used in geriatrics.
The eight activities
| Activity | Scores 1 when the person… |
|---|---|
| telephone | uses it, even only to answer or call a few numbers |
| shopping | does all the shopping independently |
| food preparation | plans, prepares and serves adequate meals alone |
| housekeeping | does at least some housework, even with help |
| laundry | does at least small items |
| transportation | travels alone by car, taxi or public transport, or by public transport with company |
| medications | takes the correct dose at the right time alone |
| finances | manages day-to-day money, even with help for banking |
Each item has 3 to 5 levels; the calculator converts your answer into 0 or 1 using the original scoring.
Interpreting the score
The total ranges from 0, low function, to 8, high function. There is no strict cut-off: the score is most useful to track a person over time and to identify which tasks need support. A drop in IADL often precedes a drop in basic ADL and can be an early sign of dementia, depression, frailty or a poorly controlled illness.
Example
A person who does everything except shopping alone, because they now need to be accompanied, scores 7. If they also need medications prepared in advance in a pill organizer, the score falls to 6, and their family might consider home help, a pharmacy blister service and a review by their doctor.
Practical tips
- Score what the person actually does, ideally confirmed by a relative, not what they could do in theory.
- The original scale scored men on 5 items only; today most clinicians score all 8 for everyone.
- Note tasks never done for cultural or personal reasons separately, as they do not reflect disability.
Limits
The scale is influenced by gender roles, culture and living situation: someone in a care home has few chances to cook or shop. It does not tell you why a task is hard, physical, cognitive or emotional, so a low score calls for a broader assessment.