IADL stands for Instrumental Activities of Daily Living; which task is typically an IADL?

• A. Bathing
• B. Dressing
• C. Managing finances
• D. Meal preparation

Answer: (C)

Instrumental Activities of Daily Living are the tasks that enable living independently and require planning, decision-making, and organization. Bathing and dressing are basic self-care tasks—ADLs—focused on physical ability to care for oneself. Managing finances involves paying bills, budgeting, understanding statements, and making financial decisions, which require memory, judgment, and problem-solving. Because these cognitive and planning skills are essential for living on one’s own, managing finances is a classic IADL. Meal preparation is also typically considered an IADL, since cooking involves meal planning, shopping, and food safety, but among the options, this choice best exemplifies the IADL category in many gerontology contexts. The other options clearly represent ADLs.