Glossary of Terms

Activities of daily living (ADL)

Everyday activities for personal care needs. Personal care needs include things like bathing, dressing, eating, and using the bathroom.

Advance care planning

Advance care planning is sometimes also called medical planning. The goal is to prepare people and their family and friends for medical decision making. The process allows people to name a trusted medical decision maker in case of an emergency, talk to their medical decision maker(s) about their medical wishes, and write down their wishes in an advance directive form.

Advance directive form

A legal form that lets people have a say about how they want to be cared for if they cannot speak for yourself.

Assisted living facility (ALF)

A place for older adults to live while receiving support services. Assisted living facilities are NOT medical facilities. The level of support provided varies from one assisted living facility to another.

Breathing machine

The machine pumps air into a person’s lungs and tries to breathe for them. They are not able to talk when they are on the machine.

CPR

CPR is an attempt to re-start the heart when someone has had cardiac arrest. This may involve pressing hard on someone’s chest to try to keep their blood pumping, electrical shocks to try to jump start the heart, medicines in their veins, and help with breathing, such as a breathing machine.

Capacity

Capacity is the ability to make decisions for yourself. This ability is also sometimes referred to as “competence” and is legally defined depending on the state and type of legal action or decision involved.

Caregiver

A friend, family member, or paid helper who regularly looks after the care of another person. For this program, a caregiver could be providing hands on help, or they may be caring by helping someone with their medical decision making.

Case managers

A healthcare professional who serve as an advocate to support, guide and coordinate care for patients, families and caregivers as they navigate the healthcare system.

Chaplains

A certified clergy member who provides spiritual care for individuals in a non-religious organization rather than a church congregation.

Conservator

A person who is appointed by court to make medical decisions for an individual (called a conservatee) who cannot make decisions for themselves or if there are issues with the person they chose to make decisions for them. A conservator handles both financial and legal matters.

Dementia

A brain disease resulting in ongoing loss of thinking, memory, judgement, and sometimes in changes in personality. There are different kinds of dementia, and the most common is called Alzheimer’s disease.

Durable power of attorney for health care form

A form that lets people write down the name of someone to be their medical decision maker if they can no longer speak for themselves. This form is ONLY about medical decision makers and not about medical wishes.

Durable power of attorney for healthcare

Someone who can make medical decisions for another person. Sometimes they are also called a healthcare agent, a healthcare representative, a proxy, a surrogate, or a durable power of attorney for healthcare.

Feeding tube

A tube used to try to feed you if you cannot swallow. The tube can be placed through your nose down into your throat and stomach. It can also be placed by surgery into your stomach.

Health insurance

An agreement in which an insurance company agrees to pay for some or all your medical expenses in exchange for a payment (or paid for by Medicare or Medicaid).

Health/Medical care

Efforts made to maintain or restore physical, mental, or emotional well-being by trained and licensed professionals.

Healthcare agent

Someone who can make medical decisions for another person. Sometimes they are also called a healthcare agent, a healthcare representative, a proxy, a surrogate, or a durable power of attorney for healthcare.

Healthcare representative

Someone who can make medical decisions for another person. Sometimes they are also called a healthcare agent, a healthcare representative, a proxy, a surrogate, or a durable power of attorney for healthcare.

IV

Intravenous therapy - a medical procedure that can put fluids, medications, and blood into a person's veins.

In-home care

In-home care is getting help from someone at home. This person can help with chores like cooking, doing the dishes, shopping, staying active and help with bathing and getting dressed. People can receive care in the home from a family member or a professional.

Instrumental activities of daily living

Activities for living independently in the community. Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) include things like chores around the house, shopping, cooking, and managing money.

Interpreter

A person who helps translate speech into a person’s preferred language.

Kidney dialysis

A machine that tries to clean a person’s blood if their kidneys stop working.

Legal aid

Free legal advice or representation for people with limited incomes. Services offered vary from agency to agency.

Living will forms

A form that allows people to write down their medical wishes in case they can no longer speak for themselves. This form is ONLY about medical wishes and not about medical decision makers.

Long-term care

A variety of supports and services designed to meet a person’s health and other care needs.

Medicaid

Medicaid is a federal-state partnership that provides health insurance to people who meet certain criteria. Depending on the state, individuals must meet income and sometimes medical requirements to qualify. Different states have different names for Medicaid.

Medical care team

Two or more health professionals working together to provide quality care to patients. The medical care team may include doctors, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, social workers, case managers, and other providers.

Medical crisis

Serious medical illness that may lead to death.

Medical decision maker

Someone who can make medical decisions for another person. Sometimes they are also called a healthcare agent, a healthcare representative, a proxy, a surrogate, or a durable power of attorney for healthcare.

Medical decisions/wishes

A verbal or written statement about what is most important to someone about their life and their medical care.

Medical planning

Medical planning is sometimes also called advance care planning. The goal is to prepare people and their family and friends for medical decision making. The process allows people to name a trusted medical decision maker in case of an emergency, talk to their medical decision maker(s) about their medical wishes, and write down their wishes in an advance directive form.

Medical procedure

A treatment, surgery, incision, injection, or other medical treatment.

Medical provider

An individual health professional licensed to provide health care. The medical care team may include doctors, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, social workers, case managers, and other providers.

Medical record

A history of someone's health. Most hospitals and doctor's offices use electronic health records (EHR). An EHR is a computerized collection of a patient's health records.

Medical visit

A meeting between a patient and individuals from their medical care team, such as a doctor, nurse practitioners, etc., to get health advice or treatment.

Medical-legal partnership

These partnerships provide free legal help as part of your healthcare. In a medical-legal partnership, a lawyer works with your doctor and healthcare team to handle issues affecting your health. To see if your clinic or hospital has this kind of partnership, talk to your doctor or reach out to someone from the clinic.

Medicare

Medicare is a federal program that helps people age 65 and older and adults with certain disabilities cover the costs of health care. You must be eligible to receive Social Security to be eligible for Medicare. There are four main Medicare programs: Medicare Part A covers hospital visits and care needed after hospital; Medicare Part B covers regular doctor visits and medical equipment; Medicare Part C, also known as Medicare Advantage, a private health insurance version of Medicare you could choose. Medicare Advantage also includes many of the same things as Medicare Parts A and B; Medicare Part D covers prescription drugs.

Notary public

A person who has special training to witness legal documents.

Nurse practitioners

An advanced practice registered nurse who is licensed to provide care often under the guidance of a doctor.

Nurses

A person trained to care for the sick or infirm.

Nursing home

Licensed medical facilities that can provide medical services like nursing care or rehabilitation. Sometimes nursing homes are known as "skilled nursing facilities", "long-term care hospitals," or "convalescent hospitals."

PDF

A file format that provides an electronic image that can be viewed, printed, and saved on a computer.

Palliative Care

A specialized medical service. The goal of Palliative Care is to help people with serious illness live as well as possible for as long as possible. Palliative Care medical providers have special training to provide an extra layer of support for people at any age being treated for any type of serious illness. They can help people and their family and friends with medical decision making.

Patient advocate

A person who helps patients communicate with their medical care team. They may also help patients set up appointments for medical visits and tests as well as get financial, legal, and social support.

Patient portal

A secure online website that gives patients access to their personal health information. Patients may also be able to send a message to their providers.

Physician assistant

A health professional who is licensed to do certain medical procedures under the guidance of a doctor.

Physician orders for life-sustaining treatment (POLST)

A medical order form that can ONLY be filled out by medical providers. It focuses on CPR, breathing machines, and feeding tubes.

Proxy

Someone who can make medical decisions for another person. Sometimes they are also called a healthcare agent, a healthcare representative, a proxy, a surrogate, or a durable power of attorney for healthcare.

Psychologist

A professional who specializes in the study of the mind and behavior or in the treatment of mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders.

Quality of life

The standard of health, comfort, and happiness experienced by a person.

Readiness

Feeling prepared or ready to do something.

Respite care

Another name for Adult Day Care. Called “respite care” because the care provided at the centers gives family caregivers a break during the day.

Risks

The chance that something will harm or affect your health.

Serious illness

A health condition that carries a high risk of disability or death and may impact that person’s quality of life.

Social worker

A person whose job it is to help people (or their caregivers) with social or personal concerns find resources and advocate for themselves.

Stroke

A loss of blood flow to part of the brain, which damages brain tissue.

Surrogate

Someone who can make medical decisions for another person. Sometimes they are also called a healthcare agent, a healthcare representative, a proxy, a surrogate, or a durable power of attorney for healthcare.

Will

A Will is a document that describes what you would like to happen to your money and property after you die.