Long-term care is a term that encapsulates any kind of medical care or help given to an individual to perform daily activities, over an extended period of time. Unless illnesses are chronic or the patient is suffering an ongoing medical condition, the main focus of long-term care is the assistance of activities of daily living (ADLs). ADLs are routine activities such as bathing, dressing, toileting, and transferring from the bed to a chair. Long-term care also includes services such as meal preparation, medication administration, housework, and money management to name a few. Although long-term care is a term used for services typically provided for the elderly, it also applies to extended care for the disabled and chronically ill.
Due to the broad nature of long-term care, there are many different types of services available:
- Home care
- Assisted living
- Community programs
- Supportive housing programs
- Continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs)
- Nursing homes
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