Which term indicates the ability to perform physical activities as required by care tasks?

• A. Verbal Cues
• B. IADL
• C. Physical Ability
• D. Direct Contact

Answer: (C)

Assessing the ability to perform physical activities required by care tasks hinges on understanding physical ability. This term captures the patient’s capacity to move, lift, bend, and sustain effort needed to carry out tasks such as transferring, dressing, bathing, or walking during care. Knowing a patient’s physical ability helps determine what level of assistance, devices, or supervision is necessary to perform tasks safely and effectively.

Verbal cues are prompts used by caregivers to guide a patient through tasks, not a measure of actual capability. Direct contact refers to the clinician’s hands-on interaction with the patient, not the patient’s own capacity. IADLs assess more complex independent living skills like shopping or managing finances, which aren’t the same as the physical capacity to perform care tasks. So the term that best indicates the ability to perform physical activities as required by care tasks is physical ability.