Page 19 - Growing Old Without a Plan for Long Term Care is not for Sissies_Neat

Questions, Questions! 1 Chapter 1 Questions, Questions! f you are just beginning the process of planning for long term care, Iyou’ve probably got questions—lots of them! So let’s begin by answering some of the most common questions. What does “long term care” mean? Essentially it means any care that is received over an extended period of time. Well, that certainly clears things up, doesn’t it? Let’s try again by learning what long term care is not. It is not acute care. Acute care is medical care that a person receives on a short term basis for an injury or illness. Acute care is designed to treat or cure the illness or disease and is gener- ally provided by a team of health care professionals including doctors, nurses, hospitals or clinics. Long term care is composed of a variety of services which meet both the medical and non-medical needs of those with a chronic illness or disability that renders them unable to ade- quately care for themselves. This care may be provided by skilled care professionals or may be provided by less skilled, but still competent caregivers. You used to hear horror sto- ries of care provided in institutions by unskilled, incompetent caregivers but that happens very rarely today and is quickly corrected if found. Long term care is often provided in a person’s home, in an assisted living facility or in a skilled care facility (nursing