The Language of Care:

Here is a list of terms and definitions that you are likely to read or hear about when researching care for the elderly. Click on the letter that the word begins with to go directly to the definition.

A-B  C-D  E-F  G-H  I-J  K-L  M-N  O-P  Q-R-S  T-U-V  W-Z

Adult day care - Programs that provide opportunities for adults to be with others and participate in supervised activities.

Advance directives - An advance directive is the primary method used to communicate the course of a person's future medical treatment or non-treatment in the event the person becomes incompetent or incapacitated.

Alzheimer disease (AD) - A slow, progressive disease of the brain, most common among the elderly. Symptoms grow worse over time and there is no known cure, but treatment options are available.

Assisted living facility - Residential care that combines housing with support services and healthcare.

Caregiver - Someone who provides practical, physical, emotional and, possibly, financial support for someone who is ill.

Chronic pain - A persistent pain that does not go away or disappears only for short periods of time.

Cognitive abilities - Having to do with thinking, such as speaking, memory and learning, comprehension, remembering, reasoning, and judgment.

Continuing-care retirement community - Residential living that offers options of independent living, assisted living, and nursing home assistance at the same site.

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"Elder Law" attorneys - Lawyers specializing in legal issues pertaining to the elderly.

Executor - A person appointed to administer the terms of a last will and testament.

"Gateway" assistance - Provides routine check-in with seniors by phone, visit, or both, to make sure they are getting along well.

GERD - An abbreviation for the term gastroesophageal reflux disease. This condition occurs when stomach acid backs up into the esophagus causing inflammation and serious damage to the tissue of the esophagus.

Geriatrician - A doctor who specializes in treating the elderly.

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Hallucination - False perception. Patient sees, hears, smells, or feels things that aren't really there.

Home maintenance - Services for seniors who are no longer able to perform such tasks as yard work, putting up storm windows, and minor home repairs.

Hospice care - Designed to help terminally ill patients live at home and to express and accept their feelings regarding their medical condition. Hospice can also help families care for a loved one, manage practical tasks, and deal with stress.

Living will - A legal document outlining exactly what someone does and does not want in terms of medical care if they are incapable of making their own decisions.

Long-term care - People with an ongoing need for assistance often need long-term care. This type of service supports activities of daily living such as eating, dressing, bathing, walking, toileting, and communicating. Long-term care is offered in various types of settings, from home care to nursing homes, and differs primarily on the level of care provided.

Long-term care insurance - A type of insurance that pays benefits when long-term care is a necessity.

Meals on Wheels - Also called mobile meals, a volunteer organization that provides meals for the homebound elderly, helping to ensure a nutritionally balanced intake of food.

Neurologist – A physician who specializes in diseases and disorders of the nervous system.

Occupational therapy - Trains people to manage everyday tasks, helping to promote independent functioning at home and elsewhere.

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Physical therapy – The treatment of diseases and defects by physical remedies, such as special exercises.

Polypharmacy - Describes a situation in which a person takes many medications. In some cases, medications may interact with each other to cause severe side effects.

Power of attorney - A legal document granting someone the right to make decisions (e.g. financial, legal, medical) for another.

Pressure ulcers - Also known as bed sores, a form of skin damage. They can range from small, slightly reddened areas to severe deep wounds. They usually occur in areas where bony parts of the body press against other parts or are in constant contact with a mattress or a chair.

Respite care – Temporary institutional care that allows caregivers to take time off to relax and recuperate from the stress of caregiving.

Schizophrenia - A mental illness characterized by prominent and persistent disturbances in the way a person thinks, sees, and hears. Some common symptoms include false beliefs (delusions), hallucinations, incoherence, and bizarre ideas and behaviour.

Will - A legal document that instructs how an individual wants his or her estate to be divided after death. The document usually names a person in charge of overseeing the will, called the executor.