|
 |
 |
Glossary of Senior Living Terms
Familiarize yourself with some of the most commonly used terms and phrases for senior living and care.
Activities of Daily Living
A general term used to describe the basic day-to-day activities of life. Activities of daily living include bathing, dressing, and eating.
Administrator
A licensed professional who manages the overall operations of a senior community.
Adult Day Care
Licensed, community-based programs for seniors desiring health, social and supportive
services, but not requiring round-the-clock professional supervision. Seniors
in adult day care programs may be physically, mentally, or functionally impaired,
or they may simply need companionship or supervision during part of the day.
Adult Day Care Centers may offer transportation to and from the center, social
services, case management and family counseling for the caregivers.
 |
Aging in Place
A popular concept in senior housing expressing the preference of most seniors
to continue aging while residing in one place, as opposed to being moved between
communities as needs change.
Alzheimer's Care Center
A treatment center that specializes in providing care for those with Alzheimer's
Disease. Resident care focuses on activities and supervision in a safe and controlled
environment.
Alzheimer's
Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia (a brain disorder that
seriously affects a person's ability to carry out daily activities) among older
people. It involves the parts of the brain that control thought, memory, and
language.
Ambulatory
Describes those who are able to move freely and who are not bedridden or hospitalized.
Assisted Living
A type of senior living community offering services that are more specialized
and advanced than those offered in an independent living community, but are less
comprehensive than the full-time care offered by nursing facilities.
Board and Care Home
Similar to an assisted living facility, but smaller in scale, board and care
homes are private and residential, often a converted or modified single-family
home. They hold 2 to 20 residents requiring supervision and some personal care,
but few onsite medical services.
|
Caregiver
Friends and family members – spouses, children, grandchildren and other
relatives – providing care to elders.
Continuing Care
A senior housing community where a full range of living options are offered,
accommodating residents as their needs evolve without requiring the inconvenience
of moving.
Continuum of Care
Used to describe the degrees of service offered by a particular senior community.
A continuum of care can range from independent living to full-time nursing care
and include any and all stages in between.
Convalescent Home
See Nursing Facility.
Dementia
The loss of intellectual reasoning and cognitive function due to changes in the
brain caused by disease or trauma. The changes can affect thinking, memory and
reasoning, and may occur gradually or quickly. Alzheimer's disease is one of
the most common types of dementia.
|
Director of Nursing
The person responsible for supervising all nursing staff in a nursing home or
assisted living facility. The Director of Nursing monitors all care delivered
in the community and assures its quality.
Home Health Care
Medical care and living assistance provided in the home by a licensed professional.
Hospice Care
Designed to provide comfort and support to patients and their families when an
illness no longer responds to cure-oriented treatments, hospice addresses all
symptoms of a disease, with a special emphasis on controlling pain and discomfort.
Hospice also offers a variety of bereavement and counseling services to families.
Most hospice care is furnished in-home, while specialized hospices, hospitals,
and some assisted living communities also provide this service.
|
Independent Living
A type of senior living community designed for those able to live easily on their
own, encompassing a wide variety of housing styles and often incorporating additional
amenities such as meals and leisure activities.
Instrumental Activities of Daily Living
A general term used to describe activities that go a step beyond the basics of
daily living, largely encompassing the non-essential aspects of life. Examples
of these services may include shopping for groceries or personal items, managing
money, or providing assistance using the telephone.
Kitchenette
A smaller version of a kitchen that may include only a sink, cabinets, and a
small refrigerator.
|
Long-Term Care
Long Term Care includes a wide range of medical and support services for people
with a prolonged illness, degenerative condition, or cognitive disorder. Long
Term Care is not necessarily medical in nature, and includes individual assistance
with activities of daily living or supervision of someone who is cognitively
impaired.
Long-term Care Insurance
A privately issued insurance policy covering the cost of nursing home care, assisted
living, and home health care.
Medi-Cal
The California version of Medicaid, Medi-Cal provides many seniors with vital
health insurance coverage, including coverage for medical services Medicare does
not cover. It also provides a safety net for seniors requiring long-term care
who have exhausted their own financial resources.
Medical Director
A doctor who coordinates medical care with a resident's personal physician and
oversees all medical care administered at an assisted living community or nursing
facility.
Medicare
A federal government program providing basic health care coverage for seniors
over age 65. It provides for hospital and nursing facility care (Part A) and
physician services, therapies, and home health care (Part B).
Medications Management
A procedure developed by each individual senior community to help manage self-administered
medicine for each resident, specifically the timing and delivery of medication.
Non-Ambulatory
Describes those with the inability to move independently due to being bedridden
or hospitalized.
Nursing Facility
A type of senior community offering the most advanced level of resident care,
including 24-hour monitoring and full-time supervision.
Ombudsmen
Ombudsmen investigate and resolve complaints made by, or on behalf of, individuals
in long-term care facilities.
|
Quality Care
A general term covering all care and services that help residents maintain a
high standard of living throughout their senior community experience.
Registered Nurse (RN)
The RN plans for resident care by assessing resident needs, and developing and
monitoring care plans in conjunction with family members and physicians. They
have passed a state board examination and are licensed by a state agency to practice
nursing.
Rehabilitation (Rehab)
Therapeutic care for people needing intensive occupational, physical, or speech
therapy.
Senior Apartment
A type of independent living facility in which usually no additional services
such as meals are provided.
|
|
|
