Functional independence in instrumental ADLs. Free to use.
Lawton IADL (Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale) is a validated clinical instrument used to assess functional independence in instrumental adls. The instrument contains 8 items.
Source / attribution: Lawton MP, Brody EM. Gerontologist 1969
The instrument's primary construct — functional independence in instrumental adls — is operationalized through a fixed set of items, each with a defined response format. This standardisation is what allows Lawton IADL scores to be compared meaningfully across clinicians, sites, and studies.
Like all screening or assessment instruments, Lawton IADL is a structured aid — not a diagnostic test in isolation. Results should be interpreted alongside history, examination, and clinical context. Where a score crosses an actionable threshold, the next step is typically a more detailed clinical evaluation rather than a definitive diagnosis.
Answer all 8 items below to see your Lawton IADL score and interpretation.
All scoring runs in your browser. No data is sent anywhere — close the tab and the answers are gone.
Lawton IADL uses weighted summation: each item carries a fixed weight that is added when the response indicates a positive finding.
Scoring notes: Educational use only.
The cutoffs below are drawn from the published validation literature. Always interpret in clinical context.
| Score range | Band | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| 0–2 | Severe dependence | Severe — needs significant help. |
| 3–5 | Moderate dependence | Moderate — needs some help. |
| 6–8 | Independent | Independent. |
This is an illustrative walkthrough, not a real patient. Follow the same four steps with your own answers — or use the live calculator at the top of this page.
Mark each item Yes or No. Each "Yes" adds the item's weight; each "No" adds 0. The example below uses illustrative answers.
| # | Item | Example response | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Telephone — uses independently | Yes | 1 |
| 2 | Shopping — independently | No | 0 |
| 3 | Food preparation — independently | Yes | 1 |
| 4 | Housekeeping — independently | No | 0 |
| 5 | Laundry — independently | Yes | 1 |
| 6 | Transportation — independently | No | 0 |
| 7 | Medications — independently | Yes | 1 |
| 8 | Finances — independently | No | 0 |
Add the weights from the items where you marked "Yes" (skip the "No" answers — they contribute 0).
1 + 0 + 1 + 0 + 1 + 0 + 1 + 0 = 4
Find the row in the interpretation table whose range contains your total:
Total = 4 falls between 3 and 5 → Moderate dependence
Moderate dependence. Moderate — needs some help.
A score is one input alongside history and examination. Lawton IADL supports clinical judgment — it does not replace it.
If Lawton IADL doesn't fit your context, related instruments in geriatrics include:
| Scale | Measures | Items | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barthel Index | Functional independence in ADLs | 10 | — |
| GDS-15 | Depression screening in older adults | 15 | — |
| Katz ADL | Functional independence in basic ADLs | 6 | — |
| CAM | Bedside delirium screen | 4 | — |
| Timed Up and Go | Mobility and fall risk in older adults | 1 | — |
| ASA Physical Status | Pre-operative health status | 1 | — |
| BDI-II | Severity of depression | — | ≈ 5 minutes |
| CHA2DS2-VASc | Annual stroke risk in non-valvular atrial fibrillation | 8 | — |
Lawton IADL (Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale) is a validated instrument that assesses functional independence in instrumental ADLs. It is designed for clinicians, medical students, evidence-synthesis researchers. The 8 items are combined to produce a total score.
Lawton IADL contains 8 items. Item scores are combined with weighted scoring to produce the total. Scores run from 0 to 8, grouped into 3 interpretation bands from ‘Severe dependence’ up to ‘Independent’.
On the Lawton IADL (total score 0–8), scores of 6–8 fall in the ‘Independent’ band — interpreted as: Independent. The full ladder is: 0–2 — Severe dependence: Severe — needs significant help.; 3–5 — Moderate dependence: Moderate — needs some help.; 6–8 — Independent: Independent. A higher score reflects a more severe presentation, and crossing a cutoff is a prompt to step up assessment or care — but these bands are screening thresholds, not diagnoses.
Scores of 0–2 fall in the ‘Severe dependence’ band: Severe — needs significant help. A low score is reassuring but does not by itself rule out the underlying condition — if symptoms or clinical suspicion persist, reassess over time or use a complementary evaluation rather than relying on the number alone.
Yes — Lawton IADL is in the public domain and free for clinical, educational, and research use without permission. You can use this calculator and the scale itself freely; if you publish results or reproduce the scale, cite the original source paper.
Lawton MP, Brody EM. Gerontologist. 1969;9(3):179-186. This is the original publication for the Lawton IADL — the reference to cite when reporting results.
No. Lawton IADL is a structured assessment aid, not a diagnostic test. Its proper role is clinical assessment of functional independence in instrumental ADLs — it standardizes assessment and flags who needs closer evaluation, but the result must be weighed alongside history, examination, and clinical context. When a score conflicts with your clinical impression, clinical judgment takes precedence; treatment decisions should never rest on a screening score alone.
Lawton IADL is supported by the following peer-reviewed sources: