Jargon Buzz Saw

Senior Living Jargon Buzz Saw

There few industries with as much jargon as ours, senior living, a name which in itself feels pretty jargony! The reason there is so much jargon is that historically there has always been a push to “soften” and “de-institutionalize” our product and services.

If we’ve missed any terms or when new ones occur get in touch and we’ll add them to our even growing list:

Long Term Care – Long Term Care (“LTC”) is the Canadian term for nursing homes, also known as “Skilled Nursing Facilities” in the United States. These are government subsidized facilities offering high levels of care. They can be privately or publicly-owned and operated but all facets are funded and overseen by the government. Rates in long term care homes (in Ontario) are ~ $2,700 but are geared to resident’s financial affordability. They are well-staffed, by competent teams but usually feel “psycho-geriatric” when compared to retirement homes with more behavioural and cognitive issues amongst residents. Long Term Care homes often have waitlists.

Retirement Homes: Retirement homes are private, user-pay businesses that provide light to heavy services to residents. Typically offerings in retirement homes are meals and snacks, round the clock response, housekeeping, laundry and activities. Many offer a variety of services and personal care for residents that are also funded by residents. In some cases some of the same personal care services delivered in a LTC facility are delivered in a retirement home.

Care Services: These are services that are delivered in retirement homes to residents by a trained staff member. They can sometimes be confusing:

Ambulation Assistance: helping a resident with sitting, standing or walking. Residents requiring ambulation help typically also use ambulation devices such as walkers, wheel chairs and canes.

Personal Care: This tends to refer to grooming and hygiene and can include assistance with bathing, oral care, foot care, etc.

Cueing: Cueing are verbal and physical reminders or “cues” given residents able to perform ADL tasks but require direction to begin the task.

Transfers: Involves assistance getting in and out of bed, and gettimg into and out of a chair, the toilet, etc.

Bathing: Bathing can include tub baths, showers and full-body sponge baths as determined by the resident and care provider.

Portering: Portering involves transporting a resident with mobility challenges to/from meals, activities, etc. by wheelchair.

POA: A Power of Attorney is a written authorization to represent or act on another’s behalf in private affairs, business, or some other legal matter. Different types of POA can cover medical decisions or financial, etc decisions in the event a person is no longer able to make decisions for him or herself.

RHRA: The Retirement Homes Regulatory Authority (RHRA) is an independent, not-for-profit corporation established by the Ontario government, responsible for administering the Act and its regulations and protecting the rights and safety of senior living in Ontario retirement homes.

ORCA: The Ontario Retirement Communities Association (ORCA) is a voluntary non-profit association that represents operators of retirement residences in Ontario.

AM and HS Care: These tend to describe morning (AM) and evening (HS) grooming and dressing activities.

ADLs: Activities of daily living (ADLs) are basic tasks that must be accomplished every day for an individual to thrive. Generally, ADLs can be broken down into the following categories:

• Personal hygiene: Bathing, grooming, oral, nail and hair care
• Continence management: A person’s mental and physical ability to properly use the bathroom
• Dressing: A person’s ability to select and wear the proper clothes for different occasions
• Feeding: Whether a person can feed themselves or needs assistance
• Ambulating: The extent of a person’s ability to change from one position to the other and to walk independently

Care Plans:

Care plans are written plans that set out the planned care, the goals the care is to achieve, and clear directions for staff and others who provide direct care to the resident. They are based on an assessment of the resident and the resident’s needs and preferences. The plan covers all aspects of the resident’s care. They must be updated every six months or when a residents’ needs change.

Falls Prevention Program:

Retirement homes and Long Term Care (LTC) homes have strategies to reduce falls including; monitoring residents drugs, encouraging use of assistive devices and  careful assessment of any residents who have fallen, etc.