Senior Care Types: A Comprehensive Guide to Provider Options

Article Summary

This article provides an overview of the different types of eldercare providers, including housing and care options, eldercare legal professionals, and financial services.

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Housing and Care

Adult Day Service

Specialized programs designed to support older adults with dementia or disabilities. Programs are typically held during business hours and provide social and recreational activities.

(Sometimes Also Called: Adult day care, adult day center, or adult day program)

Adult Foster Home

A large house that provides 4-6 residents with live-in supervision and assistance with meals, medication administration, housekeeping and personal care in a home environment.

(Sometimes Also Called: (AFH), Adult Family Care, Adult Residential Care Home, Domiciliary Care, Elderly Foster Care, Small Group Assisted Living)

Audiologist

Audiologists specialize in diagnosing and treating hearing loss.

Board and Care Home

Small facilities or large homes that provide residents with housing, food and assistance with personal care.

Boutique Senior Living

Clusters of small residences (each housing 6-12 elders) on a campus that includes community spaces and amenities based on the preferences of the residents or culture of the area where they're located.

Community-Based Care

Any type of person-centered health care or supportive service delivered in the senior's home or community, as opposed to in a facility. Medicaid offers funding (called Waivers) for certain HCBS Programs.

(Sometimes Also Called: Home and Community-Based Services, CBC, HCBS)

Continuing Care Retirement Community

** See Life Care Community (a more modern term)

(Sometimes Also Called: CCRC, Life Care Community)

Geriatrician

Geriatricians are medical doctors who specialize in treating older adults.

Geropsychologist

A psychologist who specializes in treating older adults with conditions including grief, anxiety, depression and other mental health concerns. They can provide treatment and counseling, but they aren't doctors and can't usually prescribe medication.

Green House Home

Independently-run assisted living or skilled nursing facilities can be recognized as Green House Homes if they've met certain criteria emphasizing dignity, choice, meaningful relationship and activities for their residents.

Home Care

Usually arranged through a home care agency, home care aides provide in-home assistance with personal care, mobility, meal preparation, shopping, transportation, light housekeeping and companionship.

(Sometimes Also Called: CCRC, Life Care Community)

Home Health Care

Home health care provides skilled nursing care, physical or occupational therapy, speech therapy and other medical services by licensed healthcare providers to a patient in their home.

Homeshare Program

A home share program provides a service that helps to match a person who has an extra room or unit available with a senior who is looking for a place to live.

Hospice

Supportive service is intended for people believed to be within the last six months of life. The goal is to relieve suffering and support the patient and their family with the physical, psychosocial, emotional, and spiritual aspects of dying.

Independent Living

Housing designed for older adults where residents live independently, but typically enjoy shared community areas and activities.

Life Care Community

Life care communities offer a range of living situations on one campus, including independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing sometimes memory care.

(Sometimes Also Called: Continuing care retirement communities (CCRC), Life Plan Communities, Continuum of care facilities)

Memory Care Facility

Specialized housing designed to minimize symptoms and maximize safety and functioning of people living with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia.

(Sometimes Also Called: Alzheimer's Care Facility, Dementia Care Centers)

Nursing Home

Nursing homes provide 24-hour assistance with medical care, personal care, mobility, meals and activities. Nursing homes provide the highest level of medical care available outside of a hospital.

(Sometimes Also Called: Nursing Facility, Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF))

Occupational Therapist

Occupational therapists help people accomplish goals (such as driving, dressing, bathing or cooking) in spite of any disabilities and challenges by teaching new skills and providing specialized equipment.

Life Care Community

Life care communities offer a range of living situations on one campus, including independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing sometimes memory care.

(Sometimes Also Called: Continuing care retirement communities (CCRC), Life Plan Communities, Continuum of care facilities)

Memory Care Facility

Specialized housing designed to minimize symptoms and maximize safety and functioning of people living with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia.

(Sometimes Also Called: Alzheimer's Care Facility, Dementia Care Centers)

Nursing Home

Nursing homes provide 24-hour assistance with medical care, personal care, mobility, meals and activities. Nursing homes provide the highest level of medical care available outside of a hospital.

(Sometimes Also Called: OT)

Palliative Care

Palliative care focuses on improving quality of life, and relieving suffering, for patients living with chronic conditions. Palliative care is often confused with hospice care, but they are different services.

Physical Therapist

Physical therapists help their patients regain strength, balance and mobility after surgery, injuries, pain, illness or general physical decline either at home or in a specialized gym.

(Sometimes Also Called: PT)

Private Caregiver

Private caregivers provide care in-home or on-site care with personal care, mobility, transportation, shopping, meal preparation, light housekeeping or other duties as agreed. Private caregivers are recruited, hired and managed directly rather than through an agency.

Registered Dietician

Dieticians can help develop eating plans for seniors who are at nutritional risk due to significant weight changes or disease.

(Sometimes Also Called: RD)

Residential Care Facility

Housing that provides assistance and support with personal care, meal preparation and housekeeping in a large home or a small facility with an emphasis on a home-like atmosphere.

Respite Care

Respite care offers a caregiver a break from caregiving duties. Respite care may be provided in the home, in a facility, day program or other setting by informal caregivers or paid professionals. A period of respite care can vary from an hour or two to several weeks or more.

Skilled Nursing Facility

** See Nursing home. (Note that "skilled nursing" specifically refers to short-stay, post-hospital rehabilitation facilities, but many nursing homes and skilled nursing facilities incorporate both skilled nursing and long-term care under the same roof and the terms are often used interchangeably.)SLPs can help senior regain their ability to speak after a stroke or another condition has affected it. SLPs also specialize in swallowing difficulties.

(Sometimes Also Called: (SNF), Nursing home)

Speech Language Pathologist

SLPs can help senior regain their ability to speak after a stroke or another condition has affected it. SLPs also specialize in swallowing difficulties.

(Sometimes Also Called: SLP, Speech Therapist)

Eldercare Financial Services

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide Volunteer

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide volunteers are IRS-certified tax professionals who assist adults age 50 or older with tax preparation for no charge.

Commission-Based Medicaid Planners

Provide no-charge (commission-based) assistance to individuals wishing to purchase Medicaid compliant annuities in order to meet eligibility limits.

Daily Money Manager

DMMs can assist seniors to organize and handle their day-to-day finances, create budgets, pay bills, protect against scams and financial abuse, etc. They can't legally offer financial advice or prepare taxes.

(Sometimes Also Called: DMM)

Eldercare Financial Planner

They understand a broad array of financial options available to seniors, and represent their clients with no conflict of interest, but can be expensive.

(Sometimes Also Called: Elder Financial Advisor, Senior Financial Planner, Senior Financial Consultant)

Elder Care Resource Planners

Assist seniors and their families to develop long-term plans for financial stability, with a special focus on identifying resources that can enable them to access care that may be needed currently or in the future. Planners provide an overview of resources, and clients then take action to implement those they want.

(Sometimes Also Called: Life Resource Planners)

Insurance Agents

Insurance agents can assist seniors and their families with the purchase of various types of insurance policies.

Long-term Care Insurance Broker

A long-term care insurance broker represents a consumer who is seeking to purchase long term care (LTC) insurance.

(Sometimes Also Called: Long Term Care Insurance Specialist)

Medicaid Planner

Assist seniors and their families to restructure their finances to achieve eligibility for Medicaid.

Veterans Benefits Advisors

Assist veterans and their families access veterans benefits.

Registered Financial Gerontologist

Financial gerontologists have a comprehensive understanding of the eldercare field and insight into the needs of older adults. They work with their clients to create holistic, long-term plans that meet their unique financial, health, social and family needs.

(Sometimes Also Called: RFG)

Reverse Mortgage Specialist

Can assist and advise seniors regarding reverse mortgages.

State Health Insurance Programs Counselors

Trained volunteers with knowledge about public benefits (such as Medicaid and Medicare). There is no charge for their service.

(Sometimes Also Called: SHIPs Counselors)

Public Benefits Counselors

Provide guidance and assistance on Medicaid applications for individuals who don't exceed the eligibility limits. They don't charge for their service.

(Sometimes Also Called: Public Case Managers)

Tax Counseling for the Elderly Volunteer

TCE Volunteers are IRS-certified tax professionals who assist low-income seniors to file taxes, especially when they no longer work, but may have pensions or retirement income.

(Sometimes Also Called: TCE Volunteer)

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Volunteer

VITA volunteers are credentialed, IRS-certified tax professionals who volunteer their time to assist low-income seniors to file income taxes.

(Sometimes Also Called: VITA Volunteer)

Eldercare Legal Services

Adult Protective Services

Adult Protective Services investigates concerns relating to potential elder abuse, fraud, neglect and self-neglect.

(Sometimes Also Called: APS)

Certified Professional Guardian

A professional fiduciary (a person legally required to act in the best interest of their client) appointed by the court to make decisions on the client's behalf in order to protect their legal, social and medical best interests when they are unable to do so for themselves.

(Sometimes Also Called: CPG)

Elder Law Attorney

Elder care attorneys assist clients in areas in which they specialize, which may include estates, trusts, wills, power of attorney (POA), guardianship, conservatorship, financial documents, probate, Medicare/Social Security claims or appeals, and elder abuse or fraud.

(Sometimes Also Called: Eldercare lawyer)

Estate Planning Attorney

Estate planning attorneys create wills, trusts, power of attorney documents, probate services and offer tax advice relating to estate issues.

Other

Certified Aging in Place Specialist

A home builder, remodeler or contractor with specialized training and certification in how to modify homes to meet the unique needs of older adults who wish to age in place.

Elder Mediator

Elder mediators assist members of a senior's family resolve tension resulting from disagreements or miscommunications, often with the goal of avoiding court.

Ombudsman

Volunteers trained to assist residents of nursing homes, residential facilities and other long-term care settings resolve complaints or disagreements with their residences. They can sometimes provide limited financial counseling.

Geriatric Care Manager

Volunteers trained to assist residents of nursing homes, residential facilities and other long-term care settings resolve complaints or disagreements with their residences. They can sometimes provide limited financial counseling.

Senior Move Manager

A senior move manager assists with downsizes or move to senior living by organizing possessions, tasks and arrangements (such as auctions, estate sales, consignment, etc) – and advising about what to take or leave behind.

Author Bio

Laura Herman is an elder and dementia care professional who advocates for better senior care in America. This article has been reviewed by TJ Falohun, co-founder and CEO of Olera. He is a trained biomedical engineer and writes about the cost of healthcare in America for seniors.