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Long Term Care

Plan for the future

"Long term care" means helping people of any age with their medical needs or daily activities over a long period of time. Long term care can be provided at home, in the community, or in various types of facilities. This section deals mainly with older people who need long term care. However, the information also may be useful for younger people with disabilities or illnesses that require long term care. When you look for long term care, it is important to remember that quality varies from one place or caregiver to another. It is also important to think about long term care before a crisis occurs. Making long term care decisions can be hard even when planned well in advance.

Types of Long Term Care

• Home care can be given in your own home by family members, friends, volunteers, and/or paid professionals. This type of care can range from help with shopping to nursing care. Some short term, skilled home care (provided by a nurse or therapist) is covered by Medicare and is called "home health care." Another type of care that can be given at home is hospice care for terminally ill people.
• Community services are support services that can include adult day care, meal programs, senior centers, transportation and other services. These can help people who are cared for at home as well as their families. For example, adult day care services provide a variety of health, social and related support services in a protective setting during the day. This can help adults with impairments, such as Alzheimer's disease, continue to live in the community. And it can give family or friend caregivers a needed "break".
• Supportive housing programs offer low-cost housing to older people with low to moderate incomes. The Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and State or local governments often develop such housing programs. A number of these facilities offer help with meals and tasks such as housekeeping, shopping and laundry. Residents generally live in their own apartments.
• Assisted living provides 24-hour supervision, assistance, meals and health care services in a home-like setting. Services include help with eating, bathing, dressing, toileting, taking medicine, transportation, laundry and housekeeping. Social and recreational activities also are provided and a complete listing of communities can be found here.
• Continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs) provide a full range of services and care based on what each resident needs over time. Care usually is provided in one of three main stages: independent living, assisted living and skilled nursing.
• Nursing homes offer care to people who cannot be cared for at home or in the community. They provide skilled nursing care, rehabilitation services, meals, activities, help with daily living and supervision. Many nursing homes also offer temporary or periodic care. This can be in place of hospital care, after hospital care, or to give family or friend caregivers some time off or "respite care".