Activities of daily living (ADLs). Actions a person must do by
themselves to engage independently in everyday life, such as bathing,
dressing, eating, being mobile, moving from bed to a chair and using the
toilet.
Acute care. Medical care given for a short time to treat a
specific illness or condition. This can include doctor visits, short
hospital stays or surgery.
Adult care home, also called an adult family-care home (AFCH) or group
home. A small assisted living residence where employees provide for
disabled adults or seniors who need help with certain tasks but want to
remain as independent as possible. They are an alternative to more
restrictive, institutional settings, such as nursing homes, which
provide 24-hour nursing care.
Adult
day care. Centers
that provide companionship and help to older adults who need supervision
during the day. The programs can help give a break to a round-the-clock
caregiver.
Advance
directives. Written
statements that communicate individuals’ medical preferences if they
become unable to make their own health care decisions. Two types are
possible:
-
A living will spelling out the types of medical treatment they want
at the end of life if they are unable to speak for themselves.
-
A health care proxy, which identifies a health care agent or
attorney-in-fact to serve as spokesperson on medical decisions for
an individual who has lost the ability to communicate.
Aid and Attendace (A&A). The VA’s Aid and Attendance program
provides monthly payments as a supplement to a veteran’s
pension. Veterans who are at least 65 years old or have a permanent and
total disability can receive benefits if they meet specific service,
asset, income and medical requirements.
Alzheimer's
disease. A type of progressive mental deterioration, affecting
memory and the ability to process thoughts, that is one form of
dementia.
Assisted
living facility (ALF). Housing
for those who may need help living independently but do not need skilled
nursing care. The level of assistance varies among residences and may
include help with bathing, dressing, meals and housekeeping.
Assistive technology devices. Products that improve a person's
ability to live and function independently. Low-tech assistive devices
include canes and pill organizers; high-tech items include electric
wheelchairs, hearing aids and smartphones.
Cardiologist. A medical doctor who specializes in heart disorders.
Chronic disease. A condition that lasts one year or more and
either requires ongoing medical attention or limits a person's ability
to bathe, care for themselves, dress, eat or walk.
Cohousing. A small planned community in which single-family homes,
townhouses or rental units are clustered around amenities such as a
community kitchen and dining room, common areas for sitting, craft and
meeting rooms, gardens and potentially adult and child day care. The
goal is to design a neighborhood where people of all ages and family
statuses can rely on the informal, mutual support of neighbors to help
out.
Community Care Providers. VA provides care to veterans through
community providers when VA cannot provide the care needed. Community
care is based on specific eligibility requirements, availability of VA
care, and the needs and circumstances of individual veterans.
Comorbidity. The presence, or coexistence, of more than one
disorder in the same person. They can occur at the same time or one
after the other. Interactions between the illnesses can worsen the
course of both.
Competence. In a legal sense, a person's ability to understand
information, make a choice based on that information and communicate
that decision in an understandable way.
Conservator. A person whom a court appoints to handle someone's
affairs when that person cannot do the job. Usually, a conservator
handles only finances.
Consumer-directed personal assistance program. A Medicaid program
available in several states that permits chronically ill and physically
disabled people to choose, train and supervise workers who help them
with activities of daily living such as bathing, light housework and
meal preparation so they can remain in their homes. Some relatives and
friends of participants can qualify to be paid through this program.
Continence. The ability to control bowel and bladder function.
Continuing
care retirement community (CCRC). Housing
that offers a variety of living options and services — including
independent living, assisted living and skilled care, often all on the
same campus — and is designed to meet a person's changing needs.
Copayment, sometimes called copays. A fixed amount — $20, for
example — that one pays for a health care service covered by insurance
after payment of the deductible. Let's say your health plan's allowable
cost for a doctor's office visit is $100. If you haven't yet met your
deductible for the year, you'll pay the full $100. If you have met the
deductible, you pay the $20 copay, usually at the time of the visit.
Custodial care. Nonmedical care that helps individuals with
bathing, dressing and other basic care that most people do themselves,
such as using eye drops. It can occur in a range of environments
including adult day care, assisted living centers and residential care
facilities.
DD-214. Certificate of release or discharge from active duty. It
documents an individual’s service in the military.
DEERS. Defense Enrollment Eligibility Registration Service. You
must register in DEERS to get TRICARE benefits, call
800-538-9552.
Delirium. Short-term confused thinking and disrupted attention
usually accompanied by disordered speech and hallucinations.
Dementia. A
general term for a decline in mental ability severe enough to interfere
with daily life. Memory loss is an example. Alzheimer's disease is the
most common cause of dementia, but not all dementia comes from
Alzheimer's.
Dermatologist. A medical doctor who specializes in skin disorders.
Disability rating or status. The VA assigns a disability rating
based on the severity of an individual’s physical or mental health
condition. Disability ratings help determine eligibility for and level
of benefits, such as VA health care.
Discharge planner. A professional who assists patients and their
families in developing a method of care for a patient following a
hospital or nursing home stay.
Do not resuscitate (DNR) order. A type of advance directive in
which a person states that health care providers should not attempt to
restart the heart through cardiopulmonary resuscitation if the heart or
breathing stops.
Durable
power of attorney. A legal document that gives someone you
choose the authority to act financially, legally and medically in your
place if you become incapacitated and unable to handle matters on your
own. It remains in effect until the person who grants it either cancels
it or dies.
End-of-life
doula, also
known as a death doula. An individual who provides nonmedical comfort
and support to a dying person and their family. This may include
education and guidance as well as emotional, spiritual or practical
care.
Endocrinologist. A medical doctor who specializes in hormonal
and metabolic disorders, including diabetes.
Extended care. Short-term or temporary care in a rehabilitation
hospital or nursing home with the goal of returning a patient home.
Family
and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). A
federal labor law that provides certain employees with up to 12 weeks
per year of unpaid, job-protected leave to accommodate some family and
medical situations. The law also requires that employees' group health
benefits be maintained during the leave.
Family or informal caregiver. Any relative, partner, friend or
neighbor who has a significant personal relationship with and provides a
broad range of assistance for an adult with a chronic or disabling
condition.
Gastroenterologist. A medical doctor who specializes in digestive
disorders.
Geriatric
care manager, also called an aging life care professional. A
specialist who assesses a person's mental, physical, environmental and
financial conditions to create a care plan to assist in arranging
housing, medical, social and other services.
Geriatrician. A medical doctor who has completed a residency in
either family medicine or internal medicine and focuses on older adults.
Guardianship. A
court-sanctioned legal relationship in which a person is given legal
authority over another when that other person is unable to make safe and
sound decisions regarding his or her person or property.
Health care proxy. A type of durable power
of attorney in which people appoint another person to make health
care decisions for them if they become unable to do so.
Hematologist. A medical doctor who specializes in blood disorders.
Home health agency. A company or nonprofit, often certified by
Medicare, that provides health-related services such as nursing,
personal care, social work, or occupational, physical or speech therapy
in a client's home.
Home
health aide (HHA). A
trained and certified health care worker who assists a patient in the
home. Duties typically include help with hygiene and exercise, light
household work such as meal preparation, and monitoring the patient's
condition.
Homemaker services. Light housekeeping, meal preparation, washing
clothes, shopping and other tasks workers from state-certified agencies
perform for people who need assistance in their homes. Medicare does not
cover these services, but some states’ Medicaid programs help qualified
low-income adults pay for them.
Hospice
care. A treatment regime for people who have an advanced,
life-limiting, often incurable illnesses. Considered a type of palliative
care, hospice focuses on the patient's psychological well-being and
on managing symptoms of a disease rather than the disease itself, so
they can spend their last days with dignity and quality, surrounded by
loved ones.
Incontinence. Inability of a person's body to control bowel or
bladder functions.
Independent living. An age-restricted option for a house,
condominium or apartment — sometimes offered as part of a continuing
care retirement community — that has few services as part of the basic
rate. Those that are included are more often related to convenience,
such as grass cutting or a clubhouse.
Informed consent. The process of making decisions about medical
care or medical experimentation based on open and honest communication
among the health care provider, the patient and the patient's family.
Licensed practical nurse (LPN). A person who has completed nursing
or vocational training and obtained a state license that authorizes the
person to take care of basic duties in settings such as hospitals,
nursing homes and long-term care facilities.
Living
will. A
legal document in which the signer requests to be allowed to die rather
than be kept alive by artificial means if disabled beyond a reasonable
expectation of recovery.
Long-term
care insurance. Coverage that helps policyholders pay for
long-term care in their home or at a nursing home or assisted living
facility, or for other designated services, depending on the policy.
Long-term
care ombudsman. An advocate for residents of nursing homes,
residential care homes and assisted living facilities. Ombudsmen are
trained to resolve problems; they provide information on how to find a
facility and what to do to get high-quality care.
Meals
on Wheels. A service that delivers daily hot meals to the homes
of elderly or disabled people.
Medicaid. Government-provided health care coverage for eligible
low-income adults, children, pregnant women, elderly adults and people
with disabilities. States and the U.S. government share the cost of
Medicaid, with states administering the program according to federal
requirements. As of May 2021, nearly 76 million people were covered in
Medicaid, and enrollment has grown by more than 18 percent during the COVID-19
pandemic.
Medical doctor (M.D.). A health care professional who has
graduated from an approved medical school, received additional training
in a hospital, passed a federal medical licensing exam and qualified for
a state license. Specialists must complete an additional three to nine
years of postgraduate work in their practice area.
Medicare. A
federal government program that provides medical insurance if you are 65
or older, under 65 and receiving Social
Security Disability Insurance, or under 65 and diagnosed with
end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Medicare Part A is hospital insurance,
and Medicare Part B covers certain doctors’ services, outpatient care,
medical supplies and preventive services. In 2020, 62.6 million people
were enrolled in Medicare, 54.1 million of them on the basis of age.
Medicare
Advantage, also called Medicare Part C. Private health plans
that offer all benefits covered by "original" Medicare (parts A and B)
but may also provide non-Medicare-covered benefits such as prescription
drug coverage, dental and vision coverage, and even gym memberships,
usually for an additional premium.
Medicare Savings Program (MSP). A federally funded,
state-administered program that helps people with limited income and
resources pay some or all of their Medicare premiums, deductibles, copayments and coinsurance. Four types of MSP are available:
-
Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) for people also
enrolled in Medicaid.
-
Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB), which helps pay
for Part B premiums only.
-
Qualifying Individual programs (QI and QI-1), which have slightly
higher income limits but still help pay for Part B only,
-
Qualified Disabled & Working Individuals (QDWI), which helps pay for
Part A premiums.
Medicare
telehealth services. Medicare-covered visits with health care
professionals conducted via phone or video chat. Initially offered on a
limited basis to people in rural areas, these services have expanded
considerably during the COVID-19 pandemic, with telehealth now
available to all Medicare enrollees and for a greater variety of visits
and services at least until the end of the federally declared public
health emergency.
Medigap, also
called Medicare Supplemental Insurance. Private policies designed to pay
costs not covered using original Medicare. For example, Medigap plans
might cover your Medicare copayments, coinsurance and deductibles, or
services original Medicare doesn't cover, such as care when you travel
outside the United States.
Memory
cafe. A
gathering place that provides a safe and supportive environment where
individuals with dementia or other brain disorders and their caregivers
can socialize, provide mutual support and exchange information.
Memory
care communities. Separate facilities or specialized units of an
assisted living center that focus on helping people with Alzheimer's
disease and other forms of dementia, where the staff is specifically
trained to deal with recall problems and other impairments.
National
Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP). A federal program that
provides grants to states and territories for efforts to provide respite
care, training, counseling and other supports that help caregivers to
care for loved ones at home for as long as possible.
Nephrologist. A medical doctor who specializes in kidney
disorders.
Neurologist. A medical doctor who specializes in nervous system
disorders.
Nurse practitioner (NP), also known as advanced practice
registered nurse (APRN). A primary-care provider with graduate training
in advanced practice nursing who has the authority to order tests, write
referrals and prescribe medicines.
Nursing
home. A public or private residential facility providing a high
level of long-term personal or medical care for chronically ill,
disabled and older people who are unable to care for themselves
properly.
Oncologist. A medical doctor who specializes in cancer
treatment.
Ophthalmology. A medical doctor who specializes in eye disorders
and surgery.
Orthopedic surgeon or orthopedist. A medical doctor who
specializes in bone and connective tissue disorders.
Osteopath (DO), also called a doctor of osteopathic medicine. A
doctor who has completed four years of medical school and has had 300 to
500 additional hours in the study of hands-on manual medicine and the
body's musculoskeletal system. These doctors are state licensed and may
have completed a two- to six-year residency and passed state examinatins
to become board certified.
Otolaryngologist or
otorhinolaryngologist. A medical doctor who
specializes in ear, nose and throat (ENT) problems.
Outpatient care, also called ambulatory care. Health care
procedures and treatment that do not require overnight hospitalization.
Palliative
care. Specialized medical care that focuses on providing relief
from the symptoms and stress of a serious illness. The goal is to
improve quality of life for both the patient and the family. Unlike
hospice care, which is typically given to people with terminal
conditions who are nearing the end of life, palliative care can coincide
with treatments to arrest or cure a disease.
Patient advocate. A professional who can resolve concerns about
someone's health care experience, particularly problems that cannot be
taken care of immediately.
Personal care services (PCS). A broad term used to refer to help
with personal hygiene and other self-care, such as bathing, dressing,
eating, going to the bathroom, maintaining personal appearance and
walking, provided by in-home personal care aides (PCAs). Some PCAs also
help with meal preparation, grocery shopping and money management.
Personal emergency response system (PERS), also known as a medical
alert system. An alarm system that lets someone experiencing a
medical or personal emergency such as a fall summon help. Traditional
systems are triggered by the user pressing a button on a wearable device
like a bracelet, sending a radio signal to a console connected to a
phone, which calls an emergency response center. In recent years, some
smartphones and other connected devices like smartwatches have
incorporated medical alert functions.
Physician assistant (PA). A health care professional with a
master's degree who works in collaboration with a medical doctor or
doctor of osteopathic medicine, often in a primary care setting.
Podiatrist (DPM). A doctor with specialized training in treating foot
and ankle problems.
Power
of attorney (POA). A
legal document allowing someone (an agent) to act for another. In the
case of a health care POA, it is used when the principal cannot speak
for themselves.
Primary care physician (PCP). The doctor that you see first for
checkups and health problems. Sometimes these health care professionals
have family practices for all ages; others specialize in internal
medicine for adults or pediatrics for children.
Psychiatrist. A medical doctor who specializes in emotional and
mental disorders.
Psychologist. A specialist, but not a medical doctor, who can talk
with patients and their families about emotional and personal matters
and can help them make decisions.
Radiologist. A medical doctor who specializes in X-rays and
related procedures such as computed tomography (CT) scans, magnetic
resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasound tests.
Registered nurse (RN). A health professional who has graduated
from a nursing program, passed a state board examination and has a state
license.
Rehabilitation hospital. A medical facility providing therapy and
training for the restoration of physical function or cognitive skills
following a serious injury, illness or medical event (such as a stroke).
Remote patient monitoring (RPM). A subcategory of telehealth
services that allows patients to use mobile medical devices and
technology to gather patient-generated health data, such as weight,
blood pressure and heart rate, and send it to health care professionals.
Representative. A person who is legally authorized to act for
another or who may function on another’s behalf.
Respite
care. Short-term or temporary care of a sick, disabled or older
person for a few hours, days or weeks, designed to provide relief to the
regular caregiver.
Request for and Authorization to Release Health Information. VA
Form 10-5345 requests the release of health information by a VA Medical
Center. The veteran must provide signed, written authorization before
the center can share these records.
Rheumatologist. A medical doctor who specializes in pain and other
symptoms related to joints and other parts of the musculoskeletal
system, such as bones, cartilage, ligaments, muscles and tendons.
Senior center. A physical location providing opportunities for
older adults to get active, enjoy various social activities and improve
their overall quality of life.
Skilled care. Nursing or rehabilitation services that a doctor
orders and that licensed health professionals such as nurses and
physical therapists provide.
Social
Security. The U.S. government's social insurance program, providing
monthly benefit payments to retired workers age 62 and older;
their spouses (or ex-spouses), children and survivors;
and people with disabilities that prevent them from working for an extended
period. The system is funded by payroll tax contributions workers make
throughout their careers, with monthly benefit amounts determined
primarily by their lifetime earnings history.
Social
Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). Monthly
benefit payments to people below retirement age with a significant
illness or impairment that prevents them from working for at
least a year or is expected to result in death. Eligibility is
based on past work in which the person paid Social Security
taxes and is reviewed periodically to make sure the disability
continues to restrict them from working.
Sundown
syndrome or sundowning. A state of confusion that occurs later
in the afternoon and into the night. It is most often found in patients
who have dementia or Alzheimer's disease and includes a range of
behaviors such as increased confusion, anxiety, agitation and
sleeplessness.
Supplemental
Security Income (SSI). A program the Social Security
Administration oversees that pays monthly benefits to people with
limited income and resources who are disabled, blind, or age 65 or
older.
Surrogate. An individual appointed to act in place of another.
TRICARE. The health care program managed by the Department of
Defense for uniformed service members, retirees and their families. It
offers comprehensive health care coverage through several plan options,
as well as pharmacy benefits, dental options and other special programs
for eligible individuals.
Generally, people who are in one of these categories are eligible for
TRICARE:
-
Active duty, retired uniformed service, and Guard/Reserve members.
-
Spouses and their children (generally, those who are dependents and
registered in DEERS).
TRICARE For Life, is a program for TRICARE beneficiaries who become
Medicare eligible. It serves as a supplement to Medicare, covering
certain out-of-pocket Medicare expenses. Enrollment is automatic for
anyone who qualifies for and receives Medicare parts A and B. You don’t
pay any enrollment fees for TRICARE for Life, but you must pay Medicare
Part B monthly premiums. Your Medicare Part B premium is based on your
income.
Urologist. A medical doctor who specializes in disorders of the
male reproductive system as well as the male and female urinary tract.
Vital signs. Signs of life — specifically, a person's heart rate
(pulse), breathing rate, body temperature and blood pressure. They show
doctors how well a person's body is functioning.