 Long Term Care
In this article:
Long Term Care is defined as care received
when someone needs assistance with
activities of daily living due to an accident, an illness, or advancing
age. Care and services are provided over an
extended period of time and can also be provided in many settings,
including:
- in the home;
- at a community site;
- in a nursing home; or
- other residential sites.
Receiving care and services in the home or community
can make it possible for seniors to continue to live at home rather
than moving to a nursing home or other type of residence. Long
term care can help individuals maintain their current lifestyle
through adult day
care centers, home health care agencies, assisted living facilities,
and reitrement communities.
Long term care services are available and used by elderly and
by persons of all ages who have physical illness,
disability, or cognitive impairment. The length of time
the
care and services are needed vary as a person’s condition
improves or declines.
Following are a few examples of why someone might need long term
care services:
- Chronic Disease or Disability – persons
who have been diagnosed with conditions such as Alzheimer’s
Disease or Cerebral Palsy.
- Behavioral Health – persons of any age who
have been diagnosed with mental health or mental retardation conditions.
- Acute Illness or Injury – persons who have
survived strokes or been injured in an accident and are unable to
care for themselves may need
care and services during their recovery or rehabilitation. Their need for care
may decrease as they recover and regain the ability to care for themselves.
- Limitations Associated with Aging – as they age, people’s
ability to care for themselves can become more challenging and care and services
may
be needed so they can live independently for as long as possible.
Determining what care and services you need can be
difficult. Many states have Area
Agencies on Aging to
point you to resources for help. The type of care and services you
may need depends on how much assistance you need to perform activities
of daily living. Some of these activities of daily living include:
- Bathing;
- Dressing;
- Grooming;
- Eating;
- Getting in and out of bed; and
- Using the toilet.
If you are unable to do one or more of these activities without
assistance, it usually means you need some long term care and services. You
many also need care or services if you require assistance with illness
or disability related activities. Illness / disability
related activities may include: taking medications, caring for
surgical wounds and using assistive devices or equipment.
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