types of Care

Adult Day Care Center (ADC) – a facility that provides adults with the regularly scheduled care necessary to meet the needs of daily living. These centers, which may be freestanding or connected to another health care facility, do not provide overnight care. Adult Foster Home (AFH) – a private

home or other facility that provides light personal and custodial care to four or fewer disabled adults or aged persons who are not related to the owner or manager of the home by blood, marriage, or adoption or who are not under the full guardianship of the owner or manager. Assisted Living Facility (ALF) – a congregate residential setting that provides or coordinates personal care, scheduled and unscheduled 24-hour supervision and assistance, activities and health-related services. Home Health Agency (HHA) – a public agency or private organization that offers health services to individuals at home. Home health agencies must include the services of a licensed registered nurse and at least one other therapeutic service. Additional support services may also be available. Hospice (HPC) – a coordinated program of home and inpatient health care that provides or coordinates palliative and supportive care to meet the needs of a terminally ill patient and the patient’s family. Caregivers help relieve the physical, psychological, spiritual, social and economic stresses experienced during the final stages of illness and dying. Practices are rooted in formal bereavement programs. Independent Living (IL) - any housing arrangement designed exclusively for seniors, generally those aged 55 and over. Housing varies widely, from apartment-style living to freestanding homes. Often, the units are designed to be senior-friendly, offering a more compact space with easier navigation and assistance with yard maintenance.

Long Term Care Facility (LTC) – a facility that provides skilled nursing care, intermediate nursing care, or personal care, to a total of two or more individuals. Memory Care (MEM) – a facility that provides care services and programs for residents suffering from memory loss due to stroke, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s or other diagnosed dementia.

Dementia Management Programs that offer any of a variety of therapeutic approaches which are intended to maximize the existing cognitive functioning of people who have Alzheimer’s disease, Pick’s disease or other forms of cognitive impairment. Interventions include structured activities and exercises that are designed for people who have a short attention span and require extra verbal and visual stimulation with the objective of enhancing the individual’s perception of the environment, promoting trust, reducing anxiety, avoiding overstimulation and maximizing communication skills.

Retirement Home (RTH) – a building

or buildings in which separate living accommodations are rented or leased to elderly persons for use as their primary residence. Respite Care (RC) – a service that provides temporary relief periods and other stress-relieving support for family members who provide continuous care for developmentally disabled relatives at home. In Home Respite Care Programs that provide a brief period of rest or relief for family members, guardians or others who are regular caregivers for children and/or dependent adults by offering temporary or intermittent care for the individual(s) in their own home.

Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) – the provision of nursing care services, health-related services, and social services under the supervision of a licensed registered nurse on a 24-hour basis.

Types of Independent Living:

• Subsidized senior housing. The U.S.

Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) subsidizes senior housing complexes for low income seniors. Waiting lists are common, so it is essential to plan ahead for this option.

• Senior apartments. Apartment complexes restricted by age, usually 55+. Rent may include community services such as recreational programs, transportation services, and meals served in a communal dining room.

• Retirement communities. Groups of

housing units for those aged 55+. These housing units might be single family homes, duplexes, mobile homes, townhouses, or condominiums. Monthly fees may cover services such as outside maintenance, recreation centers or clubhouses.

• Continuing Care Retirement Communities

(CCRCs). CCRCs offer service and housing packages that allow access to independent living, assisted living, and skilled nursing facilities in one community. If residents begin to need help with activities of daily living, for example, they can transfer to an assisted living or skilled nursing facility on the same site.