Barthel Index

All health tools

Measure of functional independence in Activities of Daily Living (ADL).

Functional Assessment

Feeding

Bathing

Grooming

Dressing

Bowels

Bladder

Toilet Use

Transfers (Bed to Chair and Back)

Mobility (on level surfaces)

Stairs

Independence Level

Barthel Index100/ 100

FunctionIndependent

The patient is functionally independent.

Discharge Risk Profile

Score Reference

100Independent

61 - 90Moderate

21 - 60Severe

0 - 20Total Dependency

About this calculator

Overview

The Barthel Index of Activities of Daily Living (ADL) is a widely used clinical assessment tool for measuring a patient's level of functional independence. It is often used in rehabilitation, elderly care, and stroke recovery to determine the level of nursing care required and to monitor progress over time.

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Pro Tips

Base scoring on what the patient actually does, not what they might be able to do.
The use of aids (canes, walkers) is permitted for an 'Independent' score in mobility categories.
If the patient requires supervision for safety, they should not be scored as 'Independent'.

Fun Facts

"A score of 100 indicates someone who is fully independent in the 10 categories."
"It was first published in 1965 by Dorothea Barthel and Florence Mahoney."
"The index is highly reliable for predicting the length of hospital stay and discharge destination."
"A change of 10 points or more is generally considered clinically significant."

Formula: Sum of scores across 10 categories (range 0 - 100).