Because of old age,
mental or physical illness, or injury, some people find themselves in
need of help with eating, bathing, dressing, toileting or continence,
and/or transferring (e.g., getting out of a chair or out of bed). These
six actions are called Activities of Daily Living–sometimes referred to
as ADLs. In general, if you can’t do two or more of these activities,
or if you have a cognitive impairment, you are said to need “long-term
care.”
Long-term care isn’t a very helpful name for this type of situation
because, for one thing, it might not last for a long time. Some people
who need ADL services might need them only for a few months or less.
Many people think that long-term care is provided exclusively in a
nursing home. It can be, but it can also be provided in an adult day
care center, an assisted living facility, or at home.
Assistance with ADLs, called “custodial care,” may be provided in the
same place as (and therefore is sometimes confused with) “skilled
care.” Skilled care means medical, nursing, or rehabilitative services,
including help taking medicine, undergoing testing (e.g. blood
pressure), or other similar services. This distinction is important
because Medicare and most private health insurance pays only for
skilled care–not custodial care. |
