When people think of long-term care, most people think of skilled nursing facilities. Long-term care can be provided in a variety of other settings. In fact, the majority of long-term care takes place in the home. If you had a choice, wouldn't your rather stay at home? Of course you would!

There are two types of long-term care services. There is skilled care and non-skilled care. The long-term care services people need vary depending on their health condition. Long-term care can be provided by skilled and non-skilled caregivers

An example of a skilled care provider would be a therapist (physical, speech or occupational), a registered nurse or even a medical social worker. An example of a non-skilled care provider would be a family member, nurses aide or caregiver. Unlike skilled caregivers, non-skilled caregivers are not required to hold a special license to perform their services. Non-skilled providers can help clients with items like walking, bathing, dressing, shopping, cooking, housekeeping, transporting, paying bills, etc.

Home Health Care

This is part time or intermittent skilled nursing services by licensed nursing personnel provided by a home health agency. Home health agencies offer services provided under a physician's plan of treatment to persons who prefer to stay in the familiar surroundings of their own home but still require assistance. Nurses, therapists and home health aides provide medically oriented care in the patient's home, such as physical therapy, giving injections or dressing a wound. While home health care (skilled care) is being provided these people may need help with the activities of daily living such as bathing, eating, toileting, and so on.

Home Care

Home care is different from home health care. Home care consists of "custodial care." An example would be helping someone with their activities of daily living or supervising them due to a cognitive impairment. Home care can also include homemaker services such as housecleaning, meal preparation and laundry. The people that provide home care do not have to be licensed, as this is not considered skilled care.

Adult Day Health Care and Adult Day Care Centers

Adult Day Care programs provide relief to the primary caregiver. The main objective of the Adult Day Care programs is to help keep people out of nursing homes and assisted living facilities. These programs provide care during the day so that caregivers can either work or have a break from the stress of care giving. These programs can include therapeutic, social and health activities for people with physical or cognitive impairments.

Adult Day Care social programs provide social interaction and support services to persons who do not require the full range of services available in an Adult Day Health Care program.

Respite Care

Respite care provides relatives, friends and family members relief when providing care to a loved one on a continuous basis. Respite care provides supervision and care of persons that need long-term care. This care can be provided in the home or in a facility.

Assisted Living Facilities or Residential Care Facilities

An assisted living facility or residential care facility for the elderly provides a residential setting for people in need of personal assistance and custodial care. This is one of the fastest growing types of care because the setting is more like a person's home. These facilities provide room, board, and assistance with activities of daily living, or supervision due to a cognitive impairment. They range in size from small six bed "mom and pop" operations to separate wings within large retirement communities.

Skilled Nursing Facilities

Nursing facilities are licensed by the state. They provide both skilled and custodial care. Residents that are receiving skilled care are usually getting rehabilitative care after a serious illness or surgery. Often they are getting rehabilitation- for example, they may need physical therapy after a stroke or hip replacement.

The most common type of care in nursing homes is custodial care. This is care like bathing and dressing. Many times the residents that receive custodial care are just frail elderly people, or have a cognitive impairment and can't care for themselves.

Hospice Services

Hospice services are designed to provide palliative care, alleviate the physical, emotional, social and spiritual discomforts of an individual who is experiencing the last phases of life due to the existence of a terminal disease. Hospice services also provide supportive care to the primary caregiver and the family.

Take a look at LTC glossary for terms reference.

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