Senior Care Glossary
Common terms you'll encounter when researching senior care options for yourself or a loved one.
- ADL (Activities of Daily Living)
- Basic self-care tasks that people perform every day, including bathing, dressing, eating, toileting, transferring (moving from bed to chair), and continence. ADL assessments help determine the level of care a person needs.
- SNF (Skilled Nursing Facility)
- A residential facility that provides 24-hour nursing care, rehabilitation services, and medical supervision. SNFs serve people recovering from surgery, illness, or injury, as well as individuals with complex, ongoing medical needs.
- CCRC (Continuing Care Retirement Community)
- A senior living campus offering multiple levels of care (independent living, assisted living, and skilled nursing) on a single campus. Residents can transition between levels as their needs change without moving to a new community.
- Memory Care
- Specialized residential care designed for people living with Alzheimer's disease, dementia, or other forms of cognitive impairment. Memory care communities offer secured environments, structured routines, and staff trained in dementia care.
- Dementia Care
- A broad term for care approaches tailored to individuals experiencing cognitive decline, including Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, and frontotemporal dementia. Care focuses on safety, engagement, and quality of life.
- Assisted Living
- A residential care setting for older adults who need help with daily activities but do not require the round-the-clock medical care of a skilled nursing facility. Services typically include meals, housekeeping, medication management, and personal care assistance.
- Independent Living
- A housing option for active, largely self-sufficient older adults who want a maintenance-free lifestyle with access to community amenities, social activities, and optional services. Residents generally do not need significant medical or personal care assistance.
- Skilled Nursing
- Medical care and therapy services that must be provided by or under the supervision of licensed nurses or therapists. Skilled nursing is required after many hospitalizations and is covered short-term by Medicare when certain criteria are met.
- Home Care
- Non-medical support services delivered in a person's own home, such as help with bathing, dressing, meal preparation, light housekeeping, and companionship. Home care allows people to remain in familiar surroundings while receiving needed assistance.
- Adult Day Program
- A community-based program providing structured activities, socialization, health monitoring, and meals during daytime hours. Adult day programs benefit older adults who need supervision or stimulation, while offering caregivers a break during the day.
- Respite Care
- Short-term relief care for primary caregivers, allowing them to take a break from caregiving responsibilities. Respite care can be provided in-home, at an adult day program, or through a short-term residential stay.
- Hospice Care
- Comfort-focused care for people with a terminal illness and a life expectancy of six months or less. Hospice prioritizes pain management, symptom relief, and emotional and spiritual support for the patient and family, rather than curative treatment.
- Palliative Care
- Specialized medical care focused on providing relief from the symptoms, pain, and stress of a serious illness at any stage of disease. Unlike hospice, palliative care can be provided alongside curative or active treatments.
- Medicare
- A federal health insurance program primarily for people aged 65 and older, as well as younger people with certain disabilities. Medicare covers skilled nursing facility stays short-term (after a qualifying hospital stay), home health services, and hospice care under specific conditions.
- Medicaid
- A joint federal and state program that provides health coverage to eligible low-income individuals. Medicaid is the largest payer of long-term care services in the United States, including nursing home care and home- and community-based services.
- Level of Care Assessment
- A formal evaluation, often conducted by a nurse, social worker, or care manager, that determines the type and intensity of care a person requires. The assessment considers physical, cognitive, and psychosocial needs and is used to match individuals with appropriate care settings.
- Caregiver Burnout
- A state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion that can affect people who care for a loved one with chronic illness, disability, or age-related decline. Signs include fatigue, withdrawal, resentment, and declining health. Respite care and caregiver support groups can help prevent and address burnout.