Glossary of Terms

Below is a brief description of verb age you may come across through your exploration of finding placement for your love one.

We hope you find this useful.

Independent Living: Independent/Retirement Living features a community environment, with one or more meals per day prepared and served in a community dining room. Many other services and amenities may be provided such as transportation, a convenience store, bank, barber/beauty shop, resident laundry, along with other amenities.

Assisted Living Communities: Assisted living provides apartment-style accommodations where service is focus on providing assistance with daily living activities. These facilities are designed to bridge the gap between independent living and nursing home care, and provide a higher level of services for their residents including meals, housekeeping, medication assistance, laundry and regular check-ins.

Assisted Living Homes: Similar to Assisted Living Communities, however they are in a more home like setting. Generally, they are six residents per home with either a private bedroom or semi-private bedroom. These homes are designed to bridge the gap between independent living and nursing home care, and provide a higher level of services for their residents including meals, housekeeping, medication assistance, laundry, check in's and assistance with daily activities.

Intermediate Care: Intermediate care is nursing home care for residents needing assistance with activities of daily living, but without significant nursing requirements.

Skilled Nursing: Skilled Nursing facilities are traditional nursing facilities that provide 24-hour medical nursing care for people with serious illnesses or disabilities. These facilities are state-licensed and care is provided by registered nurses, licensed vocational nurses and certified nurse aids.

Sub-acute Care: Sub-acute care is intensive nursing care for patients recovering from surgery or illness. Patients receive this care in nursing home setting.

Hospice Care: Hospice care is a combination of facility-based and home care provided to benefit terminally ill patients and support their families.

Respite Care: Respite care is provided on a temporary basis to allow a primary care provider of family member a relief for a few hours or days.

Adult Day Care: Adult day care programs provide meals and care services in a community setting during the day while a caregiver needs time off or must work.

Home Health Care: Home health care is provided in an individual's home by outside providers and aims to keep the individual functioning at the highest possible level. Services range from basic assistance with household chores to skilled nursing services.

What is SSI?
SSI (Supplemental Security Income) is a monthly cash supplement paid by both the State and Federal Government for people with little or no income who are 62 or older or people of any age who are blind or disabled. You may qualify for SSI if you are low income, a permanent resident and/or citizen of the United States. Your local Social Security Office will be able to give you detailed information about SSI.

How do I apply for benefits?
You can call Social Security's 24-hour toll-free number at (800) 772-1213. A representative can tell you what information you need to apply for SSI and what the income limitations are for this year.

Do all Assisted Living accept SSI?
NO! SSI availability is limited because most Assisted Living Communities/Homes do not accept the SSI rate. Some Communities/Homes DO accept the SSI rate, but under limited conditions. When the SSI rate is divided by 24 hours a day, times the number of days in the month, the payment rate can be as low as $1.28 per hour.

Do some Assisted Living accept SSI with a supplement?
Yes! Family members can legally contribute to the cost of Assisted Living care thus allowing their loved one to have more Assisted Living choices. Inquire with A Senior Solution representative (866) 227-9676.

Common Medical Terms and Definitions

Acute: Short term, severe symptoms.

Ambulate: To walk.

Ambulatory: Able to walk.

Aphasia: Unable to, or impairment of, ability to express thoughts through speech; different kinds of aphasia exhibit different impairment symptoms.

Aspiration: Reduction in size of normal organ.

Bedside Commode: A chair-like, portable toilet.

Benign: Not malignant.

Bereavement: The feeling of desolation after the loss of a loved one.

Bilateral: Two sides.

Caregiver: One who provides care for another individual.

Catheter: A small, hollow tube, usually flexible.

Certified Nurses Aid (CNA): A person who has satisfactorily completed a certified program providing her/him with basic patient care training.

Continent: To have control of the bladder or bowel.

Congestion: Accumulation of fluid.

Constipation: Few and difficult bowel movements.

Contracture: Shortening, drawing up of muscle tissue.

Convalescing: Shortening, drawing up of muscle tissue.

Custodial Care: Care which does not require a licensed medical person such as a Registered Nurse, Licensed Vocation Nurse, or specialized therapist.

Defecate: To eliminate wastes and undigested food from the rectum.

Degeneration: Lessening of the physical state.

Disoriented: Not aware of, or confused regarding time, place, person or purpose.

Dysfunctional: Difficulty in functioning normally.

Dysphasia: Difficulty in swallowing.

Dyspnea: Difficulty in breathing.

Dysuria: Difficulty in urinating.

Edema: Fluid accumulating in body tissues.

Erythema: Reddened skin area.

Exacerbation: Increase in symptoms.

Excoriation: Superficial loss of skin, such as that due to scraping or scratching.

Febrile: With fever.

Gait: Manner of walking.

Geriatrics: The branch of medicine dealing with the elderly.

Gerontology: The study of the aging process.

Hematuria: Blood in the urine.

Hempilegia: Paralysis of one side of the body.

Hospice: An organization which provides emotional and nursing support for the terminally ill patient and their families.

Incontinent: Without bowel and bladder control.

Infarct: A localized area of tissue death caused by poor, or ceasing of, blood circulation to that body part.

Infection: Bacteria-caused condition in the body.

Inflammation: Redness, heat, pain, and swelling in body tissue.

Jaundice: Yellowish color of the skin and eyes.

Lap Robe: Light weight covering for the lap and legs.

Lesion: Damage to tissue, board term including many type of tissue damage.

Malignant: Condition or disease which has a tendency to become progressively worse, not benign.

Metastasis: Transfer of a disease from one organ or part of the body to another.

Nausea: The feeling that vomiting may occur.

Necrosis: Death of cells of the tissue.

Nocturia: Excessive night time urination.

Palliative: A relieving, but not curing, treatment.

Paraplegia: paralysis of the lower portion of the body.

Paresis: Incomplete paralysis.

Polydypsia: Excessive thirst causing frequent drinking.

Polyuria: Excessive urination.

Quadriplegia: Paralysis of the arms and legs.

Sedative: Medication that clams activity, nervousness, irritability, fears.

Seizure: Sudden attack usually referring to involuntary contraction or spasming of muscles which ordinarily move voluntarily.

Skilled Care: Care involving certain treatments to be provided only by licensed professional.

Symptom: A sign or indication a person experiences bodily, which is not in accordance with it's usual condition.

Syncope: To faint.

Syndrome: Group of symptoms characteristic of a disease or condition.

Tachycardia: Rapid heart beat.

Terminal: Without expectation of recovery; fatal.

T.I.A.: The initials standing for the words Transient Ischemic Attack.

Transient Ischemic Attack: Brief episodes of cerebra dysfunction, caused by temporary impairment of blood flow to the brain.

Transfer: To move from one place to another; when a patient is moved from a bed to a wheelchair; when a patient is moved from location to location, such as a hospital to an extended care facility.

Tremor: Involuntary quivering.

Urinary Catheter: A small tube placed into the bladder (held in place by a small, built in inflatable balloon), which is connected via a larger tube to a drainage bag continually draining urine from the body.

Vertigo: Dizziness.

Void: To urinate

We hope you find this information useful. Should you have any questions, please contact A Senior Solution (866) 227-9676.