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Glossary of
Terminology This is a short Glossary with an
explanation of the terminology used in the Care for the
Elderly. We tried to include the most common terms, but
it is by no means complete. If you feel, we have left out
an important term, please send us an e-mail with the term
and an explanation and, if it is relevant, we will see
that it is included.
The
first thing you have to understand is that CARE
FOR THE ELDERLY, its regulations and oversight is
STATE BUSINESS. The Federal Government has some
influence through the FDA and the Department of Social
Services, but the primary regulatory Authority is the
State.
| This is a
general glossary. Some States
use variations of the terminology shown, so it is
a essential that you look at the social services
website of your state to get the exact details
for the area you live in or where you consider
placing a charge. Licensure regulations change on
almost a daily basis, and you should be aware
that some information on this site may no longer
be accurate. Check with local Social Services to
get the most up to date information |
|
In-Home
Caregivers and Companions
(For more details, if available, click on the
type of care or facility)
| Type
of Care or Facility |
Definition |
| Care
provided by member of Family |
Completely
unregulated. Usually the most cost effective way
to provide care. If the care provided is on a
voluntary basis, then there is no need to report
income to the IRS. However, if you
"employ" a member of the family and
remunerate that member with some kind of hourly
or fixed wage, then you have to "keep
books" and that member has to report the
income to the IRS. |
| The
Day Care Companion |
Assistance,
in-house monitoring, supervision and help
to an individual in maintaining a safe
living environment when the person does not
want to or is no longer able to do this
alone. You have to make payroll deductions and
report earnings of the employee to the IRS. |
| The
Homemaker Companion |
A
Homemaker Companion Service is required when total
home management is desired. The person
cared for is able to look physically after
themselves, but may no longer be willing or able
to manage his/her household on his/her own. The same
employment reporting regulations apply as above. |
| Personal
Care and Homemaker Companion |
This
service is required when total
home management is needed and
when the client is no longer able to look
physically after him- or herself.
Overnight supervision might be provided by
relatives or in-laws. The same employment
reporting regulations apply as above. |
| Live-in
Companion |
This
service provides an almost permanent 24
hour a day presence by the companion. It
is an ideal solutions when close around the clock
supervision, monitoring and companionship is
required or wanted. It is a true and cost
effective alternative to a care home. You should
be aware that a cleaning service for heavy
cleaning will be required. The same employment
reporting regulations apply as above. |
| Live
in Caregiver |
This
service provides a round the clock supervision
and monitoring of the client and involves total
home management when the client is no longer able
to look physically after him- or herself.
It includes overnight monitoring and supervision.
In addition to the caregiver who will perform
light to medium household duties, a cleaning
service for heavy cleaning will be required.The
same employment reporting regulations apply as
above. |
| Home
Health Agency |
Some
States operate a Home Health Agency which
is either a state-owned and operated agency
(often part of social services), or a private
nonprofit organization, or a proprietary
organization which provides skilled home health
care to the public. This is usually initiated by
a physician and is provided in the place of
residence of the person receiving the care. This
care includes at least skilled nursing and other
services (depending on the State) which
may be physical therapy, speech therapy,
occupational therapy, medical social services,
and home health aides. Services may include
intravenous therapy, respiratory/inhalation
therapy, electrocardiogram and hospice services. |
Institutional
Care-Homes and Facilities
| Type
of Care or Facility |
Definition |
| Adult
Day Health Care |
An Adult
Day Care is a group program designed to
meet the individual needs of functionally
impaired adults, which is both structured and
comprehensive, and which provides a variety of
health, social, and related support services in a
protective setting. |
| Adult
Family (or Residential) Care Homes |
Some
States allow the operation of an Adult
Home. The conditions vary from State to
State. An Adult Home is operated for the purpose
of providing long-term residential care, room,
board, housekeeping, personal care and
supervision to five or more adults
unrelated to the operator. Adult Homes
may be operated by a natural person, a
partnership, a not-for-profit corporation, a
public corporation or a non-publicly traded
business corporation. |
| Nursing
Home/Facility |
A Nursing
Home may be a private home, institution,
building, residence or other place, serving two
or more persons who are not related to the
operator, whether operated for profit or not.
Nursing Homes include those places which
undertake to provide maintenance, personal care,
or nursing for persons who because of age,
illness or physical infirmity, are unable to
properly care for themselves. These facilities
provide (depending on the State) skilled nursing
care, intermediate care, mentally disordered
care, developmentally disabled care, sub-acute
care, hospice inpatient services, and other
routine services. Also included are consultation
and evaluation services. |
| Hospice
or Palliative Care Homes |
Hospice
provide medically directed program in setting
that is often a continuum of home, outpatient,
and homelike inpatient care for the terminally
ill patient and, sometimes, his/her family. It
employs an interdisciplinary team to assist in
providing palliative and supportive care to meet
the special needs arising out of the physical,
emotional, spiritual, social, and economic
stresses which are experienced during the final
stages of illness and during dying and
bereavement. |
Assisted
Living and Similar Facilities
| Type
of Care or Facility |
Definition |
Personal
Care Home,
Residential Care
Facilities or
Residences for Adults -
|
An Adult
Residential Care Home/Facility provides room,
board and personal services, for compensation, to
two but not more than eight residents (this
varies from State to State) in
a congregate living and dining setting and is in
a home that is designed as any other
private dwelling in the neighborhood. In
other words it is a residential house rather than
an institutional building. The housing
arrangements are chosen voluntarily by the
resident, the resident's guardian, or other
responsible person. The majority of the residents
are 60 years of age or older needing varying
levels of care and supervision. These are
provided as agreed to at time of admission or as
determined necessary at subsequent times of
reappraisal. |
| Assisted
Living Facility |
These
facilities provide housing, food services and
personal services for elderly or disabled adults
who require supervision or assistance with the
activities of daily living. Assisted Living
facilities may provide apartment living (multi
room facilities) for an individual, where the
residents have a choice of, for instance, taking
their meals in a restaurant type facility or
individually in their apartments. Top rated
facilities also provide leisure activities such
as theater, music, golf, aerobics etc. |
| Continuing
Care Retirement Community (a form of an
Assisted Living Community) |
These are
housing, care and residential complexes
restricted to seniors. The facilities usually
include independent living units (apartments or
cottages), social activities, meals, supportive
assistance and personal care all on a campus-like
facility. Nursing Home care is also included and
may be provided on or off-campus. The Community's
health-related and nursing care are licensed and
regulated by the respective State Health
Department Some States have strict reviews of the
community's financial status and pricing
structure. Others are more lax about it. As a
general rule, the better the State supervision
and control, the better the facilities. |
Other
Terms Explained
| Term |
Definition |
| Living
Will or Advance Health Directive |
A LIVING
WILL, sometimes called will to live,
advance health directive, or advance
health care directive, is a specific type of power
of attorney or health care proxy
or advance directive.
It is a legal instrument that
usually is witnessed or notarized. These
documents state:
- That the principal is
appointing an individual to direct their
health care decisions should the
principal be unable to do so (e.g.
called "power of attorney for health
care"), or
- Specific directives as to
the course of treatment that is to be
taken by caregivers, or, in particular,
in some cases forbidding treatment and
sometimes also food and water,
should the principal be unable to give informed
consent ("individual health
care instruction") due to
incapacity.
In
the USA, most states recognize living wills or
the designation of a health care proxy.
However, a "report card" issued by the Robert
Wood Johnson Foundation in 2002
concluded that only seven states deserved an
"A" for meeting the standards of the
model Uniform Rights of the Terminally
Ill Act. Surveys show that one-third of
Americans say they've had to make decisions about
end-of-life care for a loved one.
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