Lawton IADL Scale Calculator

Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) scale (0–8).

For educational and clinical reference. Not a substitute for medical judgment. See the medical disclaimer.
Score
—
Interpretation
—

References

  1. Lawton MP, Brody EM. Assessment of older people: self-maintaining and instrumental activities of daily living. Gerontologist. 1969;9(3):179-186.

How to use

  1. Score each of the 8 IADL domains.
  2. The total (0–8) and interpretation update instantly.
  3. Re-assess periodically — IADL decline often precedes ADL decline.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Lawton IADL scale?

A widely used instrument for assessing instrumental activities of daily living (cooking, shopping, finances, transport, etc.) in older adults — finer-grained than basic ADLs like bathing and dressing.

What range does it use?

0–8 (originally scored 0 or 1 for each of 8 domains). Higher = more independent.

Are there sex-specific items?

Yes — historically housekeeping, food preparation, and laundry were scored only for women. Most modern use scores all 8 items for both sexes.

How does it differ from the Katz ADL?

Katz measures basic ADLs (bathing, dressing, feeding); Lawton measures higher-order tasks needed to live independently in the community.

Last updated

Powered by maratool