What Is Long Term Care?

Tacoma, WA - Heartwarming Care

When a person requires someone else to help him with his physical or emotional needs over an extended period of time, this is long-term care. This help may be required for many of the activities or needs that healthy, active people take for granted and may include such things as:

• Walking
• Bathing
• Dressing
• Using the bathroom
• Helping with incontinence
• Managing Pain
• Preventing unsafe behavior
• Preventing wandering
• Providing comfort and assurance
• Providing physical or occupational therapy
• Attending to medical needs
• Counseling
• Feeding
• Answering the phone
• Meeting doctors' appointments
• Providing meals
• Maintaining the household
• Shopping and running errands
• Providing transportation
• Administering medications
• Managing money
• Paying bills
• Doing the laundry
• Attending to personal hygiene
• Helping with personal grooming
• Writing letters or notes
• Making repairs to the home
• Maintaining a yard
• Removing snow

The need for long-term care help might be due to a terminal condition, disability, illness, injury or the infirmity of old age. Estimates by experts are that at least 60% of all individuals will need extended help in one or more of the areas above during their lifetime. The need for long-term care may only last for a few weeks or months or it may go on for years. It all depends on the underlying reasons for needing care.

Temporary long term care (need for care for only weeks or months)

• Rehabilitation from a hospital stay
• Recovery from illness
• Recovery from injury
• Recovery from surgery
• Terminal medical condition

Ongoing long term care (need for care for many months or years)

• Chronic medical conditions
• Chronic severe pain
• Permanent disabilities
• Dementia
• Ongoing need for help with activities of daily living
• Need for supervision

Long-term care services may be provided in any of the following settings:

• In the home of the recipient
• In the home of a family member or friend of the recipient
• At an adult day services location
• In an assisted living facility or board-and-care home
• In a hospice facility
• In a nursing home