Healthcare & Clinical Calculations
Katz Index of Independence in Activities of Daily Living (ADL 0–6)
Score Sidney Katz’s foundational 6-domain geriatric Basic ADL scale (0–6 across Bathing, Dressing, Toileting, Transferring, Continence, and Feeding) for home-care, rehab, and nursing-facility placement.
Track the natural hierarchical order of geriatric basic self-care loss and recovery!
Sidney Katz et al. (JAMA 1963) discovered a striking developmental mirror in aging, stroke, and hip-fracture rehabilitation: older adults typically lose independence in the most complex basic self-care tasks FIRST (Bathing, then Dressing, Toileting, Transferring, Continence) and retain the most fundamental task LAST (Feeding)—recovering them in exact reverse order during rehabilitation!
The Katz Index of Independence in Activities of Daily Living (Katz ADL, 0–6 points) scores 1 point for complete unassisted independence (no supervision, direction, or active personal assistance) and 0 points if supervision or physical help is needed across six basic self-care domains: Bathing, Dressing, Toileting, Transferring (bed-to-chair), Continence, and Feeding. Katz = 6 indicates Full Basic ADL Independence, 3–5 Moderate Impairment (home-health aide / assisted support), and <= 2 Severe Functional Dependence (24-hour caregiver or skilled nursing care)!
| Katz Basic ADL Total (0–6 Points) | Functional Independence Tier | Post-Acute / Geriatric Care Level |
|---|---|---|
| Katz = 6 / 6 | Full Basic Self-Care Independence | Independent Living (Check Lawton IADLs Next) |
| Katz = 3–5 / 6 (e.g., 4 / 6) | Moderate Basic ADL Impairment | Home Health Aide / OT Bathing-Dressing Assist |
| Katz = 0–2 / 6 | Severe Functional Dependence | 24-Hour Personal Care / Skilled Nursing Placement |
Total 6-Domain Katz Basic ADL Independence Score (0–6)
Validates binary 0/1 scoring across Bathing, Dressing, Toileting, Transferring, Continence, and Feeding (B2:B7).
=IF(OR(COUNT(B2:B7) < 6, MIN(B2:B7) < 0, MAX(B2:B7) > 1), "Invalid Katz ADL Flag (0/1)", SUM(B2:B7))Geriatric Functional Care-Level Classification
Stratifies Katz ADL across 6 (Full Independence), 3–5 (Moderate Impairment), and 0–2 (Severe Dependence).
=IF(OR(COUNT(B2:B7) < 6, MIN(B2:B7) < 0, MAX(B2:B7) > 1), "Invalid Katz ADL Flag (0/1)", IF(SUM(B2:B7) = 6, "Full Basic ADL Independence (Katz 6/6)", IF(SUM(B2:B7) >= 3, "Moderate Functional Impairment (Katz 3-5/6) — Home Personal Care / OT Support", "Severe Functional Dependence (Katz 0-2/6) — 24-Hour Caregiver / Skilled Nursing")))Try the example
Use the original values or change them to test your understanding.