Which skill should the nurse have an older client demonstrate to evaluate the ability to perform activities of daily living (ADL)?

A. Telephoning a family member is a complex task that involves communication skills and cognitive abilities, which, while important, are more related to instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) rather than basic ADLs. B. Reading a short paragraph is a cognitive task and does not directly relate to the physical ability to perform basic ADLs. C. Sorting a collection of socks is a useful task for assessing cognitive function and organization but is not as directly related to the physical tasks of daily living. D. Opening a bar soap package is a basic task that directly assesses the client's ability to perform an activity of daily living, specifically related to self-care and personal hygiene. This task involves fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and the ability to complete a simple self-care activity, making it a practical choice for evaluating ADL capabilities.