Glossary of terms used within Assisted Living
Terms (A - F) used within Assisted Living
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A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X Y Z
24/7 - Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.
24-hour controlled access - Term indicating that the building requires a pass key, fob or magnet card to open entrance doors; however, there is likely no one staffed at the entry after business hours.
55+ - Communities that are age restrictive such that one or all residents within a home, town home, apartment, condo or living unit must be 55 or older. Some communities require that all residents living there be 55+
Abscess - Pus which has accumulated in a cavity formed as the result of an infection - typically caused by bacteria or parasites. This is the body's defensive reaction to attempt to present the spread of infection to other parts of the body.
Abuse - Can be verbal, mental or physical. MUST be reported to DSHS at 800-562-6277
Accelerated benefits - Cash money that can be accessed from a life insurance policy before death occurs
Accepting assignment - The practice of physicians and health care providers of accepting the exact reimbursement rate paid for by Medicare. Providers are not allowed to charge the consumer additional fees above and beyond the assignment amount
Accessibility (a.k.a. wheelchair accessible) - Defines a living situation which is free of barriers
Accreditation - A process which typically involves self-evaluation of a service, followed by an agency or association or peer review to determine if the business or agency is meeting quality standards as outlined by the agency which provides the certification
Accusatory - Placing blame on someone else
Acute Care - Typically means care within a hospital setting. The patient may be medically unstable or require monitoring by health care professionals or require therapies or treatments. Term is typically used for short-term illness after which point a person can recuperate and return to wellness.
Acute Illness - A sickness which is chronic, likely debilitating in some manner.
AD - Alzheimer's disease; note - only the Alzheimer's Association uses this term. The senior housing and health care industries note this disease as ALZ.
ADA - American with Disabilities Act of 1990 Civil rights law which prohibits discrimination based on disability.
ADLs - Activities of Daily Living. A means of describing the functional status of a person. ADLs do not include cognitive (thinking/processing) abilities - this is a separate function.
- Basic ADLs: Bathing, feeding, going to the toilet, dressing, grooming, taking meds
- Mobility ADLs: Being able to get out of the house on their own and to travel, be able to walk and to get up out of and into a chair without assistance.
- Instrumental ADLs: Cooking, shopping, housework, transportation
- Cognitive: based on abilities to be aware of time/number, place, person and self (Note - most LTC policies are based on the BASIC ADLs and cognitive abilities)
Adaptive devices - Patented items which make a task easier for someone with a disability, illness or cognitive impairment
Administration on Aging (written as AoA) - Department within the US Dept of Health & Human Services granting funds to state government agencies offering support programs to older adults. This agency is mandated by the Older Americans Act.
Admission - Checking someone in to a care setting or signing the paperwork to make a move into a senior community
Adult Day Care (a.k.a. Adult Day Services) - Provide social interaction and activities for older adults and perhaps also for disabled individuals during daytime hours.
Adult Day Health - Similar to Adult Day Care only with a health care component such as medication monitoring, social services or perhaps also clinic services.
Advance Directives - The umbrella term for a Will or Trust, DPOA or POA, Living Will, No code (Polst form) and other legal documents
Advance Directive for Health Care - A written document that states your wishes regarding how you would want medical decisions to be made should you lose the capacity to make the decisions for yourself. A health care advance directive may be comprised of a Living Will, a Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care or both
Advocate - A person who looks after the well-being and fair treatment of another individual.
Advocating - The process of ensuring that another person's rights and preferences are known and followed.
Affinity Groups - A group which typically has a specific, common interest such as religion, ethnicity, sexuality or other tie
Affordable housing - Typically apartment-style housing which has been built under tax-favored status. Residents must likely be age 55+ or have a disability. There are likely maximum allowable incomes or financial parameters for admission.
AFH - Adult Family Home (also knows as Adult Care Home, Residential Care Home, Board & Care or Adult Foster Care Home)
Aging in place - The concept of remaining in the same physical location when additional services are required or requested.
Aggressive - Behaving in an abnormally forceful or belligerent way either verbally, physically or by simply being physically present when it is not appropriate to be in someone else's physical space.
a.k.a. (or aka) - also known as
AL - Assisted Living (becoming a broadly used term, but generally means assistance with ADLs, regardless of where that service is provided.
Alcohol related dementia (aka Alcohol induced dementia) - presents itself VERY much like Alzheimer's disease in that a person is forgetful and can become quite frail.
Alternate plan of care clause - Within a long-term care policy, an insurance company may state that they will consider paying coverage for any other type of care not specifically noted in the policy. For instance, if a person does need help with a specific number of ADLs and the policy only lists skilled nursing and assisted living coverage; if there is an "alternative plan of care clause," the insurance company may be open to paying for care in an Adult Care Home.
Alternative Medicine (a.k.a. complementary medicine) - Healing or treating disease through chiropractic, acupuncture, homeopathy, herbal treatments and faith healing. The phrase "Complementary and alternative medicine" together typically relates to a combination of Western and Eastern practices.
Alzheimer's Disease - A form of dementia that is both progressive and degenerative, which affects brain functions, causes the loss of short-term memory and reasoning ability, the ability to care for oneself and deterioration of speech and communication skills. Alzheimer's is not currently curable but there are medications that can retard the degeneration rate for many people
Ambulate - Ability to walk, get around.
Apnea (see sleep apnea)
Apoplexy (a.k.a. stroke) - Used as a synonym for the word "stroke," because many stroke patients lose consciousness during the acute stage of vascular compromise. This word also is used to describe loss of consciousness.
Ancillary Services (a.k.a. Additional services) - Within senior housing and care communities, these may be therapies, beauty shop, outings or even medical supplies or services
Ancillary Charges - Fees assessed for ancillary services
Anemic - The most common disorder of the blood. A deficiency of red blood cells and/or hemoglobin.
Aneurism - A blood clot to the brain
Annuity - Similar to a savings account or CD at a bank, only this account is held with an insurance company. There are MANY different types of annuities within these broad types:
- Fixed - a guaranteed interest rate
- Immediate - paying out a monthly, immediate income
- Variable - Return may vary as it is tied to stocks, bonds or index funds
- Medicaid Conforming - follows guidelines to qualify for COPES/Medicaid
- Life - No remaining value to pass on via will to trust, a guaranteed monthly payment is made as long as the person is alive, based on the contractual agreement (these are becoming scarce)
Anti-depressants- Medications which help an individual feel better about their life or that may have a calming effect on a person
Anxiety - Nervousness or anticipation that causes stress and affects behavior.
Area Agency on Aging (AAA) - A nationwide network of programs, State and local, that can assist older people with planning their life-long needs. Some of the services are: adult day care, counseling, information about and referral for in-home services, legal services, nutrition and meals, personal care, respite care, skilled nursing care/therapy, and transportation.
Aphasia - a language disturbance caused by brain atrophy, stroke or AD. Causes impairment in a person's ability to speak, write or even comprehend
APS - Adult Protective Services - agency that responds the same day to any report of abuse or neglect (they may or may not include the police)
ARNP - Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner - very similar to a general physician, typically practicing family practice-type medicine, but some specialize in Geriatric Care.
Aspirate - Choking on liquid, phlegm or food.
Assessment - To review a person's health history and to document that individual's current health & mental status, psychosocial needs and service preference needs.
Assistive devices - Used to describe walkers, canes, even devices that attach to shoes. Something used to help with ambulation.
Atrophy - (as it relates to muscles or the brain) - Relaxing or death of cells, withering
Atherosclerosis - Lipid-laden plaques which obstruct the arteries
Auditory delusions - Hearing things which are not actually present or occurring
Bait and switch - A practice of unscrupulous providers who attract older adults and their families by offering low rates for the month or several months and then increase the rate significantly ($1000 - $3000/month) once the older adults is settled in.
Bariatric care - Services provided to obese or morbidly obese individuals
Bed bath (a.k.a. sponge bath) - Washing a person while the caregiver is standing outside of the tub or while the patient is lying in bed
Bed hold - Reserving space in a nursing home or assisted living community even though the resident is not yet living there. There may or may not be a fee involved in a bed hold.
Bed Tax (also known as Provider Tax) - A fee paid to the state per licensed bed or licensed apartment
Bedrails - Bars which are intended to keep a person from rolling out of bed or to be able to elevate oneself while lying in bed. These are now considered a form of restraint and are not allowed in senior care settings. They may be used in the hospital setting.
Behavior - The actions a person takes as a result of their personality or other influence. This term is typically used when a person's actions are outside the norm of society.
Belligerent - A person who is loud, perhaps yelling and not thinking about what they are saying. The person is typically angry and acting in a way that is upsetting to other people in contact with the person.
Beneficiary - An individual who is to receive personal or real property; can also mean a person who receives a benefit.
BH - Boarding Home (a.k.a. Assisted Living community)
BID - Two times a day
Bi-polar (a.k.a. Manic depressive) - A psychiatric condition defined by periods of extreme mood. Moods can be depressive (unhappy/down) or manic (elevated mood, high energy or unusual thought patterns). A significant variant of bipolar disorder is designated as bipolar II. (The usual form of bipolar disorder is referred to as bipolar I.) Bipolar II is a syndrome in which the affected person has repeated depressive episodes punctuated by what is called hypomania (mini-highs). These euphoric states in bipolar II do not fully meet the criteria for the complete manic episodes that occur in bipolar I.
Blood borne pathogen - A disease which can be spread by contamination of blood. Most common examples are HIV, Hepatitis B and C.
Board & Care Home - What Adult Family Homes are called in California (they are also called Residential Care Homes in California)
Boarding Home - In the state of Washington, this is a type of licensure required by a senior living complex in order to provide assisted living services.
Bond benefit - Some senior communities were constructed based on tax-favored bonds. In order to qualify and to continue qualifying for such tax-favored funding, a community must maintain a certain level of "lower income" residents
Bowel impaction (a.k.a. constipation) - Condition of the digestive system where a person finds it difficult to have a bowel movement.
Bowel obstruction - A blockage of the intestines and is considered a medical emergency requiring surgery.
Bronchitis - Inflammation of the medium-size airways in the lungs.
BP - Blood pressure
BRAT - A diet of only bananas, rice, unsweetened applesauce and toast (or pasta or potatoes)
BSN - Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Cafeteria-style dining - A person walks through a line and chooses food from a food bar. The person may be asked to also to clear their table and to return their dishes to a specific area
Cardiologist - A physician who specializes in care of the heart
Care Manager - A professional who provides consulting services to an older adult to help make decisions, to advocate for them and to ensure proper care and treatments are received. This person also documents current status of a person and attempts to project future needs. This person may also recommend or suggest additional services, care or treatments.
Care Plan - A written document which defines a resident's specific needs; and then outlines a means for meeting those specific needs. The care plan also makes note of any particular, possible concerns which require a higher level of monitoring.
Case Load - Number of clients a professional or paraprofessional is handling at the time
Case Manager - Synonymous with Care Manager.
Cataracts - An opaqueness that develops in the lens of the eye or in its envelope, causing myopia (distant objects appear blurred). Causes a person to not be able to see blue colors. Can lead to blindness if not treated.
Catheters - A tube placed into the body cavity, duct or vessel. This word is used in many ways. Catheters allow drainage of infection. They can also allow fluids or access (central venous catheter - also known as a central line - placed into a large vein in the neck, chest or groin for easier access to give intravenous drugs or fluids) or surgical instruments into the body. Also very common term used to describe a tube for directing out urine or feces from the body
- Condom catheter - a latex sheath placed over the penis
- Foley catheter - inserted through the urethra of the penis into the bladder
- Superpubic - a surgically-created connection between the bladder and the skin
CCRC - Continuing Care Retirement Community. A complex or campus offering independent living, assisted living and skilled nursing care; and perhaps dementia care as well.
Census - Occupancy rate, number of occupied beds or apartments in relation to the number of total licensed beds or apartments. This number is typically stated numerically by the number of beds or apartments which are occupied; or as a percentage.
Central venous catheter (a.k.a. central line) - A catheter placed into a large vein in the neck, chest or groin when a health care provider needs access for more intensive cardiovascular monitoring, for assessment of fluid status and for increased access for intravenous drugs and fluids.
Certificate of Medical Necessity - Physician's orders stating a person requires care services
Certificate of Need - State approval that a service may be provided by a business or agency. For instance, a nursing home provider must apply for a certificate of need in order to increase the number of beds in a skilled nursing facility. In the state of Washington, there has been a long-time moratorium placed on granting new certificates of need. This document is also required in many states to open a home health care agency or perhaps even an Assisted Living (ALs do not require a C of O in the state of WA)
CFP - Certified Financial Planner
Chore services - Not related to personal care. These are tasks which are considered to be errands or homemaker duties. They do not involve actually touching an individual.
Chronic Care - Medical care which addresses preexisting or long term illness (this is the opposite of acute care, which addresses short term or severe illness of a brief period. The most common chronic medical conditions in the elderly are:
- Asthma, Emphysema,
- Chronic Bronchitis
- Cirrhosis of the Liver
- Congestive Heart Disease
- Depression
- Hypertension
CHF - Coronary Heart Failure
Chuck - A flat, absorbent material placed on top of a chair or mattress to protect against moisture. Similar to an adult diaper which is not attached to a person, but rather lies flat on top of a surface.
CM - Care Manager
C.N.A. (a.k.a. RNA, NAR) - Certified Nursing Assistance, Registered Nursing Assistant or Nursing Assistant Registered
Cochlear implant - An implanted hearing aid device for a person who is severely hard of hearing. Unlike a hearing ad, the implant doesn't amplify sound, but instead stimulates the auditory nerves inside the cochlea with electrical implants.
Co-dependence - A relationship which is often viewed as unhealthy in that two people's personalities and beings are intertwined into one. This is viewed as unhealthy as the two people frequently have different needs and preferences, which causes unnecessary stress or conflict for the other person. This term is not to be confused with "dependence," which is used to describe a single individual's reliance upon something or someone else.
Cognitive impairment - A syndrome causing memory loss or inability to process information or to react in a way that is considered to be socially normal
Coinsurance -Under Medicare, it is the percentage or portion of the Medicare-approved amount that you the consumer have to pay after having met the deductible for Part A and/or Part B. For other types of health insurance, it is usually a percentage of billed charges after you have met the deductible. For example, if you have paid the deductible and the insurance company pays 70 percent of the remaining amount of your claim, your coinsurance is 30 percent.
Colostomy - A surgical procedure which connects part of the colon onto the anterior abdominal wall, leaving the patient with and opening in the abdomen, called a stoma. With a colostomy, feces leaves the patient's body through the stoma and collects in a pouch attached to the patient's abdomen.
Co-pay - An amount a person must pay out of their own pocket before insurance begins covering a service or product.
COPD - Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Characterized by limitation of airflow in the airway. COPD is the umbrella term for chronic bronchitis and emphysema.
Cognitive - Having to do with mental status and abilities.
Combative - Anger or frustration in a person with memory loss which causes anxiousness. Typically manifested in speaking angrily, hitting, biting. In many cases a person who is combative can be helped by removing stimulation and approaching them in a caring and nurturing manner.
Comorbidity - The presence of two or more conditions or diseases in the same individual
Companionship services - The act of entertaining or simply being with another person, typically for a fee.
Complaint investigation - When the state receives a call from a Mandatory Reporter or a call regarding suspected abuse, neglect, exploitation or violation of resident rights or states codes and laws, a person hired by the state (Registered Nurse or Masters of Social Work) is dispatched to review the circumstances and to write a report, or suggest a plan of action.
CHF - Congestive Heart Failure
Congregate Care or Housing - A term used to describe Assisted Living in some states in the US.
Conservatorship (a.k.a Guardianship) - A court order that property or a person be subject to the control of another person, entity or agency.
Continuum of Care - Used to describe a senior living situation or a senior service which offers independent living through skilled care. This term is also used to describe the entire senior housing and care industry.
Convalescent home - Nursing home
Convalescence - A gradual recovery of health after illness (today we hear the word recuperate more frequently)
Conventional health care (a.k.a. Western Medicine) - Therapies and treatments which have been clinically proven to be effective. (Note - as "alternative medicines and treatments" become accepted and proven, they then become known as "conventional health care."
COPES - A program offered within the Medicaid (entitlement program) which provides financial assistance within assisted living, adult care homes and in-home care.
CR - Community Relations
Crash bar - A handle of a door which is rectangular and typically spans the width of the door. Used to open a door, and is oftentimes alarmed.
Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease - Rare and incurable degenerative neurological disorder that is fatal.
Crohn's Disease - A chronic inflammatory disease of the intestines. It primarily causes ulcerations (breaks in the lining) of the small and large intestines, but can affect the digestive system anywhere from the mouth to the anus.
CSO - Community Services Office. An office assisting and processing Medicaid/COPES applications.
CSR - Community Services Rep - a Marketer or Admissions person
Cueing - Directing, prompting or supervising someone with cognitive impairment; demonstrating how to eat, medication reminders, prompting with visual or verbal cues so as to accomplish dressing or toileting
Custodial Care - Term used to describe non-medical care, very light care. Synonymous with monitoring.
CVA - Cardio Vascular Accident = a stroke
Day and Night confusion - A person with dementia or reaction to medication, disease or infection may be awake during the night and sleep during the day.
DCR - Director of Community Relations - a Marketer or Admissions person
DD (Developmentally Disabled) - sometimes also noted as DDD; A person who has not matured in a way that is normal for their age - typically as it relates to mental capacity and ability to process ideas or to retain information or memories. May also involve the inability to complete activities of daily living without guidance or assistance.
Debridement - Removal of dead, damaged or infected tissue.
Dehydration - Lack of water in the body.
Delusions - A false belief. In psychiatric terms, the term relates to a mental illness.
Dementia - The broad term used to describe a lessening of an individual's ability to think, process information or respond to stimulus. A person who is not able to interact with society in a normal fashion due to memory loss, brain damage, illness or health condition.
Denial - A person's unwillingness or inability to recognize the reality of a situation or matter.
Dept of Social & Health Services (a.k.a. DSHS) - A state operated, federally and state funded program to assess, monitor and distribute financial assistance to needy or medically needy individuals who do not have the financial means to pay for services. Also the regulatory agency who issues licenses to extend personal care to older adults. This agency also monitors the performance of senior care providers to ensure residents rights, laws and the business' policies and procedures are being followed.
Depression - A mental status which causes a person to feel tired, without energy and perhaps without interest in interacting or completing tasks.
Detox - The process of decreasing and then removing a chemical substance (drug or alcohol) from a person. This term is also sometimes used as it relates to nutrition when an individual's diet is being changed with the intent of providing improved nutritional status.
Diabetes mellitus - A metabolic disorder of hyperglycemia (high blood sugar)
- Type 1 = autoimmune destruction of the pancreatic beta cells with produce insulin
- Type 2 = Gestational diabetes, which involves insulin resistance
- Both forms of diabetes are chronic conditions, yet treatments exist to prolong life
Diagnosis - To define a disease or condition by its outward signs and symptoms or to analyze the underlying physiological or biochemical causes of a disease or condition.
Dialysis - Renal replacement therapy which acts as a replacement for a lost kidney due to renal failure or missing kidney.
Dietary supplement - Can be a vitamin, mineral, herb, botanical (excluding tobacco), an amino acid or an extract. Intended to give the body something it needs or is lacking. Can cause drug interactions and other problems for other adults.
Digital stimulation - The use of a finger to activate the sphincter muscle in order to have a bowel movement. Common need of people with muscular disorders.
Directive to Physicians - Umbrella term used to describe the legal documents outlining a person's wishes and intents. Typically describes a Living Will and a DNR (Do not resuscitate). DNRs are now more readily called a Polst form.
Discharge Planner - A social worker or health care professional who helps patients and their families who are leaving a hospital environment to transition to another level of care: rehabilitation in a Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF), home health care provided in the patient's home, or long-term care in a SNF.
Disease course
- Chronic course - long lasting and likely deteriorates
- Recurrent course - long lasting but relapses frequently
- Relapse - affected again by something which affected them in the past
- Remission - a state of absence of a disease or disappearance of a chronic disease
Discharge (as it relates to leaving an acute or senior care setting) - The point at which an older adult is released from the acute or rehabilitative environment to return home or to a different (lower level) care setting.
Discharge (as it relates to a wound) - The body attempting to eliminate infection from the body by encapsulating it and sending liquids to an open area of the body to flush out infection.
Disorganized Thinking - A thought disorder used to describe a pattern of unusual language that is thought to reflect mental illness.
DME - Durable Medical Equipment; Durable Medical Equipment (DME) - Medical equipment required by a doctor's order to be used in the home. These are reusable items, such as hospital beds, walkers, and wheelchairs; paid for under Medicare, subject to a 20% coinsurance of the Medicare-approved amount
DNR - Do not resuscitate. This document has been replaced by a Polst form, but the senior housing and health care industries still call the Polst form a "DNR"
DNS - Director of Nursing Services
Doc - rather than Doctor
DON - Director of Nursing
DPOA - Durable Power of Attorney; Document giving someone else the legal right to make decisions on your behalf (as long as they are in line with the decisions you would typically make on your own) and to transact business. There are Powers of Attorney that are also limited to:
- Health Care
- Financial
- Durable Power of Attorney includes both
- Must have provision for HIPPA to be a useful document
Dressing change - Changing a bandage on a wound or incision. This is considered a skilled task; however it can be delegated through nurse delegation.
Drug holiday - Removing an elderly person from all medications to remove all traces of the medication from their system. Frequent practice within Geropsych programs
Drug interactions - A situation where a substance affects how the drug affects the body. Interactions can be due to conflicting drugs, drug and food interactions as well as drugs and herbal interactions.
Dual eligibility - An individual who qualifies for both Medicare as well as Medicaid
ED - Executive Director
Edema - Retention of water causing swelling, particularly in the extremities (legs / arms) -causes stress on the heart
Electrolytes - Tested frequently in the elderly via blood or urine sample. Muscles, body functions and neurons are activated by electrolyte activity - for instance, muscle contraction is dependent upon the presence of calcium, sodium and potassium. Without these ions, muscle weakness or severe muscle contractions can occur. Other ions frequently discussed in the elderly are: magnesium, chloride, phosphate and hydrogen carbonate.
Elimination period - A number of days before a benefit begins (a term used primarily in the insurance industry)
Elopement - A term most frequently seen within dementia care, where a person leaves a building or home without the caregiver's permission or recognition the person is leaving.
Emesis - Vomit
Encephalitis - Inflammation of the brain caused by viral or bacterial infection. As the brain pushes against the skull, death can result.
Encouragement - Providing positive support and reinforcement to helps a person behave in a certain way or to take a certain action. Frequently used in regards to the act of enticing a person to take part in a social activity or in completing a task such as eating food or drinking liquids.
Endoscopy - Looking inside the human body with an instrument called an endoscope
Enterals - Liquid supplements to provide a patient with nutrition, glucose, fiber or other food supplements (the most commonly used product is Ensure)
Entitlement - The term is an umbrella term to denote that federal or state funds are being used to help pay or offset the cost of care, health care or nutrition services. Financial assistance to financially and medically needy individuals. Term is also used to describe Veteran's benefits when a Veteran requires care services, regardless of financial status.
ER - Emergency room
Estate recovery - The act of the State placing a lien on an individual's assets in order to recover all or some of the money paid out in entitlements.
Executor - Person named to be in charge of an estate
Exit seeker - A person who cunningly attempts to elope by looking for opportunities to get outside or to leave a home or building.
Exit seeking - Behavior of feeling compelled to leave a building or house. Some AD patients feel they must be elsewhere - such as at work or they may relive a traumatic experience such as thinking a family member has been injured, and feeling they need to be of help to that person.
Exploitation - The act of using something in an unjust, cruel or selfish manner for one's one benefit.
Failure to thrive - Lacking interest in living, inclusive of eating, drinking and perhaps even responding to stimulus or interaction.
Fair Housing Act (a.k.a. the Civil Rights Act of 1964) - Prohibits discrimination in housing as it relates to race, religion, national origin sex, handicap and family status. Title VIII of the Act is also known as the Fair Housing Act.
Fall precautions - Actions taken to monitor or help a person avoid losing their balance. This term is also used for someone who has fallen quite a bit or is at risk for fall, with the intent to more diligently monitor the person in the event that an addition fall occurs.
Fall risk - A person who is unstable on their feet, has an unsteady gait (means of walking), stutter steps (prevalent in stroke and Parkinson's patients)
Family conflict - Disagreement, discord or acting out of family members who are in disagreement or who are not able to communicate well with each other. Frequently, such disagreements cause a division of family members, and creates stress or poor communication within a family unit.
Family meeting - A time to speak about a person's needs, gather input for the older adult and their support system and for the caregivers or management staff to give feedback and concern regarding a person's care, health, spiritual and mental condition.
Fee for service - A means of charging a person based on time it takes to complete a task or service. Time may be calculated in increments of 5 minutes, 15 minutes, half hour or hour.
Fee schedule - Also known as "rate schedule." Document which outlines monthly base rates, service fee rates and perhaps ancillary (additional) fees.
Fee simple - The highest level of real property ownership, where an individual or corporation holds full title and rights to real property.
Fiduciary - The highest standard of care imposed by law. The expectation is to be highly loyal to the person to whom they owe the duty. Also means that a person providing a service cannot place their own, personal interests before the duty at hand.
Floating license - Within Boarding Homes/Assisted Living, the situation where a license can move from apartment to apartment without specifying an apartment number. For instance, a senior living community may be comprised of 100 living units, 30 of which are licensed as a Boarding Home. With a floating license, the community need not specify in advance which of the 30 living units will offer care services; instead, the community may offer care in any of the 100 living units (up to 30 people).
Food handler's permit - A certificate obtained by attending a classroom or online training regarding food safety and sanitation. A requirement of anyone who serves food.
Fragile - Not medically stable or lacking in energy and strength. Also used to describe a person who is susceptible to illness or is not functioning well in regards to being independent with activities of daily living.
Freezing - Used to describe the muscular reaction which occurs in individuals (particularly with Parkinson's disease) where the muscles contract and brain signals are not sent to the muscles to change. Frequently causes a person to become rigid and can lead to falls.
Functional Incontinence - Occurs when a person does not recognize the need to visit the toilet.
Copyright 2007 © All rights reserved, CHOICE Advisory Services, Inc.
Last update: 2008-06-19 01:02
Author: Support
Revision: 1.6
