ALS/MND can make everyday tasks harder: washing, dressing, eating, using the toilet, and moving around the home. Weaker hands and arms, fatigue, and changes in balance all play a part. Tasks that once took no thought can start to take time, energy, and planning.
This page explains how everyday tasks can change, practical ways to make them easier, and how an occupational therapist can help.
On this page
Everyday tasks │ Making tasks easier │ Personal care │ Planning ahead │ Occupational therapy │ Resources
How everyday tasks can change
Changes are different for each person and depend on which muscles are affected. Common difficulties include:
- Doing up buttons, zips, and shoelaces, or turning keys and taps
- Holding cutlery and cups, or cutting food
- Washing, showering, and brushing teeth
- Getting on and off the toilet, a bed, or a chair
- Cooking, cleaning, and other household tasks
- Writing, using a phone or computer, and hobbies
Fatigue also affects daily life. Tasks may take more energy than before, and people often find they have less energy later in the day.
Ways to make everyday tasks easier
Change how the task is done. Sit down to wash, dress, or prepare food. Break larger tasks into smaller steps. Do the most important tasks when energy is highest, and rest between activities. Occupational therapists often describe this as planning, pacing, and prioritizing.
Use equipment. Simple aids can make a large difference. Examples include cutlery with thicker handles, button hooks, long-handled sponges, shower chairs, raised toilet seats, and grab rails.
Adapt clothing. Clothes with elastic waists, hook-and-loop fasteners (such as Velcro), or magnetic closures are easier to put on and take off.
Adapt the home. Changes can range from rearranging furniture and removing trip hazards to installing rails, ramps, or an accessible bathroom.
Personal care and oral care
Many people want to stay independent with personal care for as long as possible. Equipment, adapted routines, and support from a caregiver can all help. Asking for help with some tasks can save energy for the activities that matter most.
Oral care is easy to overlook but important. Weaker hands make brushing harder, and swallowing changes can make rinsing difficult. An electric toothbrush, a suction toothbrush, or help from a caregiver can keep the mouth clean and comfortable. Regular dental check-ups also help.
For help with saliva, see Nutrition, Swallowing and Saliva.
Plan ahead as needs change
Equipment and home changes can take weeks or months to arrange, and funding varies between countries. An early assessment gives time to plan, so that support is in place before it is urgently needed.
How an occupational therapist can help
An occupational therapist helps people living with ALS/MND stay as independent and safe as possible in the activities that matter to them. An occupational therapist can:
- Assess how daily tasks are affected, at home, at work, and in the community
- Suggest new ways of doing tasks and ways to save energy
- Recommend equipment and adaptations, and show how to use them
- Assess the home and advise on changes
- Advise on seating, positioning, and moving safely between bed, chair, and toilet
- Help with access to computers, phones, and communication devices
- Support caregivers to help safely
Occupational therapists often work with physiotherapists, speech-language pathologists, social workers, and technology specialists.
Related information
Muscles, Mobility and Exercise │ Technology │ Speech and Communication
Videos about daily living
Watch videos about everyday activities, personal care, equipment, and maintaining independence with ALS/MND.
Resources from our members
Explore additional resources about daily living, personal care, occupational therapy, equipment, and oral care developed by Alliance member associations.
Everyday activities
Daily Living Activities
The ALS Association · English
Tips and strategies for everyday activities, including eating, dressing, and getting around. The page also includes a downloadable manual to use with an occupational therapist or other health professional.
Personal Care with MND
MND Association · English
Information about managing personal care tasks such as washing, dressing, and intimate care, including equipment and services that can help people stay independent for longer.
ALS and Activities of Daily Living
Les Turner ALS Foundation · English
A guide to devices and practical strategies for eating and drinking, dressing, toileting, bathing, oral hygiene, grooming, recreation, and sleep. It is designed to be read one section at a time, as needs arise.
Products to Aid Daily Living
The ALS Association · English
Assistive products that can help with daily activities, with links to more information about each.
Occupational therapy
What Does the Occupational Therapist Do?
ALS Centrum Nederland · Dutch
An overview of the occupational therapist’s role and how occupational therapy can help people living with ALS/MND.
Occupational Therapy
ALS Liga België · English, French, Dutch, and German
Information about the goals of occupational therapy, what to expect from appointments, and common aids that support daily activities.
Aids and Equipment
ALS Centrum Nederland · Dutch
Information about aids and equipment that support daily living at home, at work, and in the community.
Oral care
Oral Care for People with ALS, PSMA and PLS
ALS Patiënten Vereniging · Dutch
Practical tips for managing oral care. The page can be translated using the browser’s translation tool.
Oral Health in ALS/MND: A Personal Scoping Review
Dr. Maurits K.A. van Selms · English · For health professionals
A dental researcher living with ALS/MND reviews oral health in ALS/MND and sets out priorities for care, research, and education.