Senior
Housing and Elder Care Glossary
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Accreditation
A seal
of approval given by a governing body to a housing and/or service provider. To become accredited, the community or provider must meet specific
requirements set by the accreditation entity and is then generally required to undergo a thorough review process by a team of evaluators to
ensure certain standards of quality. The accrediting organizations are not government agencies or regulatory bodies. Examples of some accreditation
bodies for the senior housing and care industry include CCAC (Continuing Care Accreditation Commission), CARF (Commission on Accreditation of
Rehabilitation Facilities) and JCAHO (Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations).
Activities
of Daily Living (ADLs)
Activities such as bathing, grooming, eating, toileting, and dressing.
ADA
(Americans with Disabilities Act)
Law passed by Congress in 1980, establishing a clear and comprehensive prohibition of
discrimination on the basis of disability.
Administrator
Generally, a licensed professional
who manages the day-to-day operation of a care facility such as a nursing home or assisted living facility.
Adult
Day Care
Daily structured programs in a community setting with activities and health-related and rehabilitation services
to elderly who are physically or emotionally disabled and need a protective environment. This care is provided for during the day, the individual
returning home for the evening. |
Aging in Place
Concept which advocates allowing a resident to choose to remain in his/her living environment despite the physical and or mental decline that
may occur with the aging process of aging.
Alzheimer's
Degenerative age-related disease
that impairs an individual's cognitive ability. Symptoms may include forgetfulness, wandering, and inability to recognize others. The disease
is caused by neuron dysfunction and death in specific brain regions responsible for cognitive functions. Both genetic and environmental factors
likely play a role in the development of Alzheimer's. Click here to learn more.
Ambulatory
Describes ability to ambulate, walk around, not bedridden or hospitalized.
Assisted Living
In general, state-licensed program offered at a residential community with services that include meals, laundry, housekeeping, medication reminders,
and assistance with Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs). The exact definition will vary from
state to state, and a few states do not license assisted living facilities. Generally regarded as one to two steps below skilled nursing in
level of care. Approximately 90 percent of the country's assisted living services are paid for with private funds, although some states have
adopted Medicaid waiver programs. Might also be referred to as Personal Care, Board and Care, Residential Care, Boarding Home, etc., although
some states differentiate between their definition of "Assisted Living" and these other terms (e.g., Washington state recognizes and
licenses "Assisted Living" facilities as well as "Boarding Homes"; Although licensed by the State of Washington, a Boarding
Home does not meet the higher physical plant and service requirements necessary to be considered an Assisted Living facility) . Click here to
learn more. |
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Charge
Nurse
An RN or LPN who is responsible for the supervision of a
unit within a nursing facility. The charge nurse schedules
and supervises nursing staff and provides care to facility
residents.
Congregate Housing
See Independent Living (may be also referred to as Supportive
Housing).
Continuing Care Retirement Community
(CCRC)
Housing planned and operated to provide a continuum of accommodations
and services for seniors including, but not limited to,
independent living, congregate housing, assisted living,
and skilled nursing care. A CCRC resident contract often
involves either an entry fee or buy-in fee in addition to
the monthly service charges, which may change according
to the medical services required. Entry fees may be partially
or fully refundable. The fee is used primarily as a method
of privately financing the development of the project and
for payment for future healthcare. CCRCs are typically licensed
by the state. See also Life Care Community.
Continuum of Care
Full spectrum of care available at Continuing Care Retirement
Communities which may include Independent Living, Assisted
Living, Nursing Care, Home Health, Home Care, and Home and
Community Based Services.
Convalescent Home
See Nursing Home. |
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Dementia
Progressive neurological, cognitive, or medical disorder
that affects memory, judgment, and cognitive powers.
Developmental Disability (DD)
Affliction characterized by chronic physical and mental
disabilities, which may include: cerebral palsy, retardation,
thyroid problems, seizures, quadriplegia.
Director of Nursing (DON)
A DON oversees all nursing staff in a nursing home, and
is responsible for formulating nursing policies and monitoring
the quality of care delivered, as well as the facility's
compliance with federal and state regulations pertaining
to nursing care. |
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HMO
A Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) is an organized
system for providing comprehensive health care in a specific
geographic area to a voluntarily enrolled group of members.
Home Health Care
Provision of medical and nursing services in the individual's
home by a licensed provider.
Hospice Care
Care and comfort measures provided to those with a terminal
illness and their families- it can include medical, counseling,
and social services. Most hospice care is furnished in-home,
while specialized hospices or hospitals also provide this
service. |
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Independent
Living
Multi-unit senior housing development that may provide supportive
services such as meals, housekeeping, social activities,
and transportation (Congregate Housing, Supportive Housing,
Retirement Community). Independent Living typically encourages
socialization by provision of meals in a central dining
area and scheduled social programs. May also be used to
describe housing with few or no services (Senior Apartment).
Instrumental Activities of Daily
Living (IADLs)
Day-to-day tasks such as preparing meals, shopping, managing
money, taking medication, and housekeeping. |
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Kitchenette
Each facility may have its own definition of a kitchenette,
but generally one includes a sink, cabinet space, and a
mini-refrigerator, maybe a microwave. In contrast, a full
kitchen would usually have a burner unit, sink, cabinets,
full-size refrigerator, and possibly a microwave or stove.
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Licensed
Practical Nurse (LPN)
LPNs are trained to administer technical nursing procedures
as well as provide a range of health care services, such
as administration of medication and changing of dressings.
One year of post high school education and passage of a
state licensing exam is required.
Life Care Community
A Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) which offers
an insurance type contract and provides all levels of care.
It often includes payment for acute care and physician's
visits. Little or no change is made in the monthly fee,
regardless of the level of medical care required by the
resident, except for cost of living increases.
Long-Term Care
Provision of services to persons of any age who are afflicted
with chronic health impairments.
Long-term Care Insurance
Privately issued insurance policy which covers the cost
of nursing home care, assisted living, and home health care.
Premiums are based on age, health, length of deductible
period, amount paid, and duration of benefits. Currently
pays only two percent of national nursing home costs. |
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Managed
Care
There is currently no standard definition of managed care,
but it can best be described as a combination of insurance
and a health care delivery system. The basic goal of managed
care is to coordinate all health care services received
to maximize benefits and minimize costs. Managed care plans
use their own network of health care providers and a system
of prior approval from a primary care doctor in order to
achieve this goal. Providers include: specialists, hospitals,
skilled nursing facilities, therapists, and home health
care agencies.
Medicaid
A jointly funded medical financial Federal-State health
insurance assistance program, offering benefits to individuals
with limited financial resources, the disabled, and the
elderly. There are income eligibility criteria which must
be met to qualify for Medicaid. Medicaid accounts for about
52 percent of the nation's care costs, and is the source
of payment for almost 70 percent of residents in nursing
homes. The person must have exhausted nearly all assets
and be in a nursing facility that participates in this program.
Medicaid can reimburse Nursing Facilities for the long-term
care of qualifying seniors, and in some states, Medicaid
pays for Assisted Living care through Medicaid waivers.
Medicare
Nationwide medical insurance program administered by the
Social Security Administration for individuals 65 and over
and certain disabled people, regardless of income. Provides
for hospital and nursing facility care (Part A) and physician
services, therapies, and home health care (Part B).
Medical Director
A staff medical director assumes overall responsibility
for the formulation and implementation of all policies related
to medical care. The medical director also coordinates with
an individual's personal physician to ensure that the facility
delivers the care that is prescribed. In some instances,
the medical director may be a resident's primary physician.
Medications Management / Medication
Administration
Formalized procedure with a written set of rules for the
management of self-administered medicine, as in an assisted
living setting. A program may include management of the
timing and dosage for residents, and could include coordination
with a resident's personal physician. The resident must
take the medication him or herself. For instance, the facility
can remind the resident that she needs to give herself the
medicine injection, but the facility cannot perform the
actual injection itself.
Medigap Insurance
Private health insurance policies that supplement Medicare
coverage, covering health care costs above those covered
by Medicare Part A or Part B. Does not provide benefits
for long term care, covering primarily hospital and doctor
bills. |
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Non-Ambulatory
Inability to ambulate, walk around, and usually bedridden
or hospitalized.
Not-for-Profit
Status of ownership and/or operation characterized by government
by community-based boards of trustees who are all volunteers.
Board members donate their time and talents to ensure that
a not-for-profit organization's approach to caring for older
people responds to local needs. Not-for-profit homes and
services turn any surplus income back into improving or
expanding services for their clients or residents. Many
not-for-profit organizations are often associated with religious
denominations and fraternal groups. Not-for-profits may
also interact with Congress and federal agencies to further
causes that serve the elderly.
Nurse Assistant
A Nurse Assistant provides the most personal care to residents,
including bathing, dressing, and toileting. Must be trained,
tested, and certified to provide care in nursing facilities
that participate in the Medicare and Medicaid programs.
Nurse assistants work under the supervision of an Registered
Nurse or Licensed Practical Nurse.
Nursing Home
Facility licensed by the state that provides 24-hour nursing
care, room and board, and activities for convalescent residents
and those with chronic and/or long-term care illnesses.
One step below hospital acute care. Regular medical supervision
and rehabilitation therapy are mandated to be available,
and nursing homes are eligible to participate in the Medicaid
program. May be referred to as Nursing Facility or Convalescent
Home. See also Skilled Nursing Facility. Click here to learn
more. |
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Occupational
Therapy
Process to help individuals relearn activities of daily
living, generally administered by a licensed therapist.
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Physical
Therapy
Process that includes individualized programs of exercise
to improve physical mobility, often administered following
a stroke, fall, or accident. Physical therapists plan and
administer prescribed physical therapy treatment programs
for residents to help restore their function and strength.
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Registered
Nurse (RN)
Graduate trained nurse who has both passed a state board
examination and is licensed by a state agency to practice
nursing. The RN plans for resident care by assessing resident
needs, developing and monitoring care plans in conjunction
with physicians, as well as executing highly technical,
skilled nursing treatments. A minimum of two years of college
is required in addition to passage of the state exams.
Rehabilitation
Therapeutic care for persons requiring intensive physical,
occupational, or speech therapy.
Residential Care
See Assisted Living.
Respite Care
Temporary relief from duties for caregivers, ranging from
several hours to days. May be provided in-home or in a residential
care setting such as an assisted living facility or nursing
home. |
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DISCLAIMER:
Presentation of this glossary is for general purposes only.
No information on this page is to be viewed as legal advice
or as an official description of judicial process. These
terms are general and are displayed strictly as a service
to consumers. They are not intended to be all-inclusive
or to cover default situations in all states. Consumers
are advised to seek professional legal counsel in any default
proceeding.
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