Assisted living facility glossary

Short, plain-English definitions of the terms you'll meet when choosing a assisted living facility provider in Greater Hartford Assisted Living.

What are activities of daily living (ADLs)?: Activities of daily living (ADLs) are basic self-care tasks such as bathing, dressing, toileting, and eating that assisted living staff use to evaluate a resident's functional ability and determine their care needs and service level.
What are Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs)?: Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs) are complex tasks required for independent living, such as managing medications, preparing meals, handling finances, housekeeping, and arranging transportation.
What is a Certified Nursing Assistant?: A Certified Nursing Assistant is a healthcare worker trained and state-certified to provide direct personal and medical care to residents under the supervision of licensed nurses in assisted living facilities.
What is a continuing care retirement community?: A continuing care retirement community (CCRC) is a residential community where older adults live independently but have access to assisted living and skilled nursing care on the same campus, usually financed through an entrance fee and monthly charges.
What is a continuum of care?: A continuum of care is a coordinated system of housing and care services at different levels that allows residents to move between them as their health and independence needs change.
What is a fall risk assessment?: A fall risk assessment is a standardized evaluation tool staff use to measure a resident's vulnerability to falls based on mobility, balance, medications, and environmental factors, then tailor preventive measures accordingly.
What is a Hoyer lift?: A Hoyer lift is a mechanical sling lift that uses a hydraulic or electric motor to safely transfer residents who cannot bear weight or move independently between surfaces such as beds, chairs, and bathrooms.
What is a level of care assessment?: A level of care assessment is a nursing evaluation performed before admission or annually to measure a resident's functional abilities and determine which care tier and corresponding pricing level they require at an assisted living facility.
What is a managed residential community?: A Connecticut Department of Public Health licensed residential housing facility that provides room, board, and hospitality services to seniors, typically paired with a separately licensed Assisted Living Services Agency (ALSA) to deliver personal care and support.
What is a move-in assessment?: A move-in assessment is the medical and functional evaluation performed at or before admission to an assisted living facility to determine a resident's care needs and establish the initial care plan and pricing.
What is a personal care assistant?: A personal care assistant (PCA) is a trained caregiver who helps seniors and disabled individuals with non-medical activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, and meal preparation.
What is a Personal Emergency Response System (PERS)?: A Personal Emergency Response System (PERS) is a wearable pendant or wristband device that residents wear to instantly summon staff in case of a fall, medical emergency, or other urgent need.
What is a resident care plan?: A written, individualized plan developed from an assessment of each resident's health, functional, and personal needs that directs daily staff care and is reviewed periodically to reflect changes.
What is a two-person assist?: A two-person assist is a care requirement where two staff members must be present to safely help a resident with transfers, mobility, or personal care tasks due to the resident's physical limitations or fall risk.
What is a wander management system?: A wander management system combines door alarms, wearable tracking badges, and staff monitoring technology to locate and monitor residents prone to unsupervised wandering in assisted living communities.
What is an Assisted Living Services Agency?: An ALSA (Assisted Living Services Agency) is a Connecticut-licensed provider that delivers nursing care, personal assistance, and support services to residents within a Managed Residential Community, operating under a separate license from the residential facility itself.
What is an entrance fee community?: An entrance fee community is an assisted living residence that requires residents to pay a substantial upfront lump sum at move-in, in exchange for services and housing, in contrast to traditional month-to-month rental models.
What is elopement risk?: Elopement risk is the likelihood that a resident will leave a secured facility or designated area without supervision or permission.
What is Medicaid spend-down?: Medicaid spend-down is the legal reduction of countable assets to fall below state-set limits, allowing individuals to qualify for Medicaid coverage of long-term care services like assisted living.
What is medication management?: Medication management is the supervised system by which assisted living staff administer medications, provide reminders, and track compliance to ensure residents take the correct drugs at the correct times.
What is nurse delegation?: Nurse delegation is the authorized transfer of specific care tasks by a licensed nurse to trained unlicensed staff members, who perform them under the nurse's supervision and responsibility.
What is respite care?: Respite care is temporary residential care for seniors, typically lasting days to a few weeks, allowing family caregivers to take time away from their caregiving duties.
What is sundowning?: Sundowning is a pattern of increased confusion, agitation, and behavioral changes that occur in the late afternoon or early evening in people with dementia or cognitive decline.
What is the Connecticut Home Care Program for Elders?: The Connecticut Home Care Program for Elders (CHCPE) is a state Medicaid waiver program that covers the cost of assisted living services for eligible low-income seniors, allowing them to live in residential facilities instead of nursing homes.