Continuing Care Retirement Community This type of housing alternative, sometimes called a life care community, generally requires that an individual be able to live independently upon becoming a resident in the community. As a resident begins to need more assistance, specific additional services are made available. Most CCRCs offer three basic levels of housing on an as-needed basis: fully independent living, assisted living (personal care services) and skilled nursing care.
Living Will This is a document in which you state your wishes about end-of-life care. Many living wills specify that artificial medical intervention be avoided or discontinued where there is no hope of meaningful recovery from a vegetative state or terminal illness.
Nursing Homes There are two types of Nursing Homes: Skilled Nursing Homes and Custodial Nursing Homes. A skilled nursing home provides skilled nursing and rehabilitative care. A custodial nursing home provides assistance with activities of daily living (i.e., bathing, dressing, eating), but do not provide specific or ongoing skilled nursing services or rehabilitative care.
For more information about these terms and other issues regarding older adults, contact a law firm that concentrates in elder law.