When you apply for a disability benefit, the Social Security Administration (SSA) needs to understand your activities of daily living (ADLs), or the things that you do every day. You will be asked by the SSA to complete a questionnaire which is called the Adult Function Report. It is a 10-page form comprised of 5 sections and is normally sent out to you after you have filed your initial application. This is so the SSA can compare information you have provided on your initial application and the answers you have given to the questions asked on the Adult Function Report form.
Activities of Daily Living Report
The questions that will need to be answered on the Adult Function Report are related to how you are able to perform the following tasks independently.
Personal Care
This includes grooming and personal hygiene, such as showering, dressing, and going to the bathroom. You should describe any difficulties you’ve encountered in performing these activities, and whether or not you need any assistance from a caregiver to help you complete these daily activities.
Moving Around
This is to do with your personal mobility and you are required to report all of the challenges you’ve experienced when moving about, such as difficulty standing from a seated position, walking, or sitting down. You can include a description of any symptoms that you experience when you are trying to be mobile such as back pain, leg and knee pain, dizziness and inability to move without assistance from another person.
Recreational and social activities
You will need also to describe any hobbies you have and how well you can take part in them with your disability. Also describing any relationships you have at home will help the SSA to better understand any physical or mental limitations which may impact your relationships in the home.
Completing the Function Report
Here are some examples of questions asked on an Adult Function Report.
- Are there any activities you used to do before you were disabled, which you are unable to do now?
- Do you require any help with caring for anyone else in your home or a pet?
- Do you require any help with bathing, getting dressed or feeding yourself?
- Do you cook your own food and how long does this task take?
- Do you spend any time with other people, like family members or friends?
- Do you have any hobbies and how often do you do them?
- Do you visit any particular places regularly?
The answers you provide on the Adult Function Report form are assessed and used to determine how severe your disability is and if the statements made about your medical condition on your initial application are consistent with your Adult Function Report answers. This is why it is so important to include as much detail as possible when completing the Adult Function Report form. It is important to keep the function report up to date so that the SSA is aware of any limitations you are experiencing due to your disability which prevents you from going to work.
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