The Schwab and England ADL (Activities of Daily Living) scale is a method of assessing the capabilities of people with impaired mobility. The scale uses percentages to represent how much effort and dependence on others people need to complete daily chores. The rating may be given by a professional or by the person being tested.
The scale was first presented in 1968 at Third Symposium on Parkinson's Disease, Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh, by co-authors R.S. Schwab and A.C. England.
The scale Percentage of independenceDescriptionAwareness of difficulties100%; Completely independentAble to do all chores without slowness, difficulty or impairment.Unaware90%; Completely independentAble to do all chores, but with some degree of slowness, difficulty and/or impairment. One might take two times longer than normal to complete chores.Somewhat aware80%; Usually completely independentTakes two times longer than normal to complete chores.Aware 70%; Mostly independentFaces more difficulty with some chores. One spends a large part of the day with chores and might take three to four times longer than normal.Aware60%; Somewhat independentCan do most chores, but exceedingly slowly and with much effort. Errors are possible during the chores.Aware50%; Mostly dependentNeeds help with half of every chore. Everything is difficult to one.Aware40%; Very dependentCan assist with chores, and can complete some alone.Aware30%; Very dependentWith help, can start chores. One can also complete few chores with effort and help. Aware20%; Very dependentCan slightly help with chores, but cannot complete any alone.Aware10%; Fully dependentIs helpless and somewhat comatose.Aware0%; Fully dependentIs bedridden and helpless. One is almost completely comatose.Aware
See also Parkinson's disease — a disease with an intensity that varies that can be measured using the scale Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale
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