There are so many options that it is quite tricky to choose the right one, and there have been instances where elderly people have chosen and signed on the dotted line for care that they didn’t really understand or want.

For those helping an elderly relative find the right care, you need to know the terminology and the nature of what’s on offer. Then you’ll be able to navigate the options skillfully. This article looks at the top four care sector terms that are very often the source of confusion.

Acute care

This is where a patient or elderly person receives a short-term stint of care for an injury, like a fall, accident or short spell of illness. Acute care is also the form of care and support that is provided after recovery from surgery. It is quite specialist and must be continuous while the patient is in recovery. It is important to have access to such care whichever type of care you have in place.

Assisted living

This is a popular term as well as a fashionable way for the elderly to get care and assistance and thus it’s important to understand it. It is where residents in a care community are provided their own rooms or apartments. There is generally around-the-clock supervision and a highly professional level of care, including meals, housekeeping and laundry. A fitting example of this is assisted living Fort Lauderdale, which also provides a clear explanation of the process to understand the term.

Dementia

This is a non-specific disease and is rather a condition that many wrongly believe to be a normal part of aging. There will be 40 million adults with dementia by 2060, and it is the general term for the impaired ability to think, reason, remember and make decisions. The most generic form of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease. There is currently a lot of available information on dementia, and it is imperative to understand this, so that it is easier to understand the type of care that a relative living with this condition will require.

Chronic illness

We often hear the term chronic illness associated with elderly care and residential care, and as such, it is critical to understand its meaning. These are generally accepted as diseases or conditions that will last one year or more and will require ongoing treatment and limit the patient’s daily life and activities. Heart disease, cancer and diabetes are the main chronic illnesses.

Being able to understand the care terminology will assist you and those around you to determine what the best type of care is going to be for you. The growth in the demand for care has seen a rise in the number and type of care organizations, and the industry is booming. This is a good thing but will also require you and yours to do your due diligence as to the homes you consider. Knowing what the terminology means will go a long way to assisting in this regard.