Understanding senior care is difficult if you’re unfamiliar with the many different terms used by the industry professionals like those here at Advocare. We’ve compiled a list of terms and their definitions that you’re likely to see when researching senior care and assisted living facilities. Education is key when it comes to exceptional senior care so learn more here!
Senior Care Glossary
- Aging in Place: The ability to live in your own home as you reach later stages of life
- Assisted Living Facility: An option for long-term care for aging individuals which offers personal care services, medical assistance, transportation and more.
- Dementia: A general term used to describe diminished cognitive functioning in seniors. Characterized by memory loss, changes in behavior, difficulty with language and more.
- Fiduciary: A person or group entrusted with the finances and fiscal decision making of another person.
- Hospice: End of life care for seniors and those with terminal illness with a focus on quality of life.
- Medical Care Manager: A caregiver who coordinates a senior’s health and wellness including transportation to doctor’s visits, prescription drug scheduling and more. Medical care managers are skilled nurses, social workers and other health and medical professionals.
- Medicare/Medicaid: Federal financial assistance programs for senior medical and assisted living care.
- Power of Attorney: Someone with the power to make legal decisions on behalf of an incapacitated person.