Caregiver Access

Social Work, Care Planning 
and Emotional Support

Glossary of Terms

An Adult Daycare Center, according the the Department of Health and Human Services, offers social, recreational and health-related services to individuals in a protective setting who cannot be left alone during the day because of health care and social need, confusion or disability. These centers are separated into a medical model that provides onsite medical services and a social model that offers no medical services.
Adult Daycare is a community-based group program designed to meet the needs of functionally impaired elders and older adults who can benefit from participating in group settings.  Most programs include an individualized plan of care, group exercise, adult education classes and recreation, nutritious meals, and social work services.  In addition, these programs make respite for caregivers possible, and provide support groups for participants and caregivers.

According to HelpGuide.org the symptoms of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) fluctuate. You may notice better and worse times of the day, or better and worse days in general. And while stress doesn’t cause generalized anxiety disorder, it can make the symptoms worse.

Not everyone with generalized anxiety disorder has the same symptoms. But most people with GAD experience a combination of a number of the following physical and psychological symptoms:

Physical symptoms of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
Muscle tension, aches, or soreness
Trouble falling asleep or staying asleep
Stomach problems, nausea, diarrhea
Jumpiness or unsteadiness
Edginess or restlessness
Tiring easily 
Psychological symptoms of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
Irritability
Feelings of dread
Inability to control anxious thoughts
Inability to relax
Difficulty concentrating
Fear of losing control or being rejected

Area Agency on Aging (AAA) are agencies established under federal law, the Older Americans Act (OAA), to respond to the needs of Americans aged 60 and over in every local community with the goal of keeping seniors living independently in their own homes. AAAs. plan and provide social services and nutrition services for elders, and support for caregivers.

According to SeniorLiving.net Assisted Livingis often viewed as the best of both worlds. Residents have as much independence as they want with the knowledge that personal care and support services are available if they need them. Assisted living communities are designed to provide residents with assistance with basic ADLs (activities of daily living) such as bathing, grooming, dressing, and more. Some states also allow assisted living to offer medication assistance and/or reminders. Assisted living communities differ from nursing homes in that they don’t offer complex medical services.

Assisted living communities range from a stand alone residence to being one level of care in a CCRC (continuing care retirement community). The physical environment of an assisted living is often more appealing than a nursing home to both potential residents and their families. These communities offer a more home-like atmosphere with apartment styles that typically include studio and one bedroom models. Kitchenettes usually feature a small refrigerator and microwave.

According to CMSA.org a Case Manager offers services as a means for achieving client wellness and autonomy through advocacy, communication, education, identification of service resources and service facilitation. The case manager helps identify appropriate providers and facilities throughout the continuum of services, while ensuring that available resources are being used in a timely and cost-effective manner in order to obtain optimum value for both the client and the reimbursement source. Case management services are best offered in a climate that allows direct communication between the case manager, the client, and appropriate service personnel, in order to optimize the outcome for all concerned.

According to helpguide.org the symptoms of Depression vary from person to person, but there are some common signs and symptoms. It’s important to remember that these symptoms can be part of life’s normal lows. But the more symptoms you have, the stronger they are, and the longer they’ve lasted—the more likely it is that you’re dealing with depression. When these symptoms are overwhelming and disabling, that's when it's time to seek help.

Common signs and symptoms of depression:

Feelings of helplessness and hopelessness - A bleak outlook—nothing will ever get better and there’s nothing you can do to improve your situation.

Loss of interest in daily activities - No interest in former hobbies, pastimes, social activities, or sex. You’ve lost your ability to feel joy and pleasure.

Appetite or weight changes - Significant weight loss or weight gain—a change of more than 5% of body weight in a month.

Sleep changes - Either insomnia, especially waking in the early hours of the morning, or oversleeping (also known as hypersomnia).

Irritability or restlessness - Feeling agitated, restless, or on edge. Your tolerance level is low; everything and everyone gets on your nerves.

Loss of energy - Feeling fatigued, sluggish, and physically drained. Your whole body may feel heavy, and even small tasks are exhausting or take longer to complete.

Self-loathing- Strong feelings of worthlessness or guilt. You harshly criticize yourself for perceived faults and mistakes.

Concentration problems - Trouble focusing, making decisions, or remembering things.

Unexplained aches and pains - An increase in physical complaints such as headaches, back pain, aching muscles, and stomach pain.

A Disability, according to activists in the disability movement, is referred to as an impairment, either a physical or cognitive limitations that an individual may have, such as the inability to walk or speak. In contrast, the term disability refers to socially imposed restrictions, that is, the system of social constraints that are imposed on those with impairments by the discriminatory practices of society.

Durable Medical Equipment (DME) may include but are not limited to the following: iron lungs, oxygen tents, hospital beds, and wheelchairs, blood-testing strips and blood glucose monitors for diabetics, potty chairs, canes, lifts and other similar equipment.
DME is to be used in a patient's home or institutions constituting her home, such as a nursing home or assisted living facility. DME can be rented or purchased. Some electronic wheelchair or other "power- operated vehicles" may be considered eligible equipment, if medical necessity is determined. DME is prescribed by a healthcare provider and furnished by a supplier specializing in the equipment, generally in coordination with a home health agency.

Geriatric Social Workers are social workers who’s main focus is understanding not only the physical complications of aging, but mental health and social/environmental attributes of aging as well. According to geriwork.com a Geriatric Social Worker often has a Masters in Social Work with either a focus in their studies on aging, or a Licensed Social Worker or Clinical Social Work with a couple years of training working with older adult clients.

Hospice is a model of care that focuses on relieving symptoms and supporting patients with a life expectancy of six months or less. Hospice involves an interdisciplinary approach to provide medical care, pain management and emotional and spiritual support. The emphasis is on comfort, not curing. It can be provided in the patients home as well as freestanding hospice facilities, hospitals, nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.

Meals on Wheels is a program designed to deliver hot meals to elderly, physically disabled, or other people who lack the resources to provide nutritionally adequate meals for themselves on a daily basis.

Medicaid is a health insurance program for low-income individuals who can not otherwise afford Medicare or other commercial health insurance plans. Medicaid is funded in part by the Federal government and by the state where the enrollee lives.

Medicare is health insurance for the following:

People 65 or older
People under 65 with certain disabilities
People of any age with End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) (permanent kidney failure requiring dialysis or a kidney transplant)

Medicare Part A is hospital insurance that helps cover inpatient care in hospitals, skilled nursing facility, hospice, and home health care. Most people don’t pay a Part A premium because they paid Medicare taxes while working.

Medicare Part B helps cover medically-necessary services like doctors' services, outpatient care, home health services, and other medical services. Part B also covers some preventive services. If you have Part B, you pay a Part B premium each month. Most people will pay the standard premium amount.

Medicare Part C is the Medicare Advantage Plan. It is another Medicare health plan choice you may have as part of Medicare. Medicare Advantage Plans, sometimes called “MA Plans,” are offered by private companies approved by Medicare. If you join a Medicare Advantage Plan, the plan will provide all of your Part A (Hospital Insurance) and Part B (Medical Insurance) coverage. Medicare Advantage Plans may offer extra coverage, such as vision, hearing, dental, and/or health and wellness programs. Most include Medicare prescription drug coverage (Part D).

Medicare Part D is prescription drug coverage insurance run by an insurance company or other private company approved by Medicare. There are two ways to get Medicare prescription drug coverage:

Medicare Prescription Drug Plans. These plans (sometimes called "PDPs") add drug coverage to Original Medicare, some Medicare Cost Plans, some Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) Plans, and Medicare Medical Savings Account (MSA) Plans.

Medicare Advantage Plans (like an HMO or PPO) are other Medicare health plans that offer Medicare prescription drug coverage. You get all of your Part A and Part B coverage, and prescription drug coverage (Part D), through these plans. Medicare Advantage Plans with prescription drug coverage are sometimes called "MA-PDs."

A Nursing Home is a long-term care facility licensed by the state that offers 24-hour room and board and health care services, including basic and skilled nursing care, rehabilitation, and a full range of other therapies, treatments, and programs. People who live in nursing homes are referred to as residents.

The goal of Palliative Care is to relieve suffering and provide the best possible quality of life for people facing the pain, symptoms and stresses of serious illness. It is appropriate at any age and at any stage of an illness, and it can be provided along with treatments that are meant to cure.

One of the provisions of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) is a requirement that public transit be accessible to passengers with disabilities. The solution in several urban areas is a system known as Paratransit. Paratransit often works in conjunction with fixed routes to make it easier for all passengers to use an area's public transportation system. Paratransit services often feature modified vans to handle the bulk of their services. These vans are equipped with lifts to accommodate passengers who use wheelchairs. The vans are much smaller than conventional public transit buses and seat fewer passengers. The routes are mapped according to the needs of the passengers as much as possible but are also frequently limited by budget constraints.

According to cancer.org Prescription Assistance Programs help people with the cost of their medicines. Some of these programs have options for buying drugs at discounted prices. Others help people who cannot afford any part of their medicine costs. All of these programs have certain requirements that you must meet in order to get help from the program. You will need to give them some basic information, including the names of the drugs you take. You will also need to give information about yourself and your finances. All the programs will make you complete an application form, and most will require some information from your doctor.

According to hanys.org New York State Patient Review Instrument (PRI) is an assessment tool used to classify each nursing facility resident into a patient classification system for reimbursement purposes.

According to the American Psychiatric Association a Psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental illnesses and substance use disorders. It takes many years of education and training to become a psychiatrist: He or she must graduate from college and then medical school, and go on to complete four years of residency training in the field of psychiatry. Many psychiatrists undergo additional training so that they can further specialize in such areas as child and adolescent psychiatry, geriatric psychiatry, forensic psychiatry, psychopharmacology, and/or psychoanalysis. This extensive medical training enables the psychiatrist to understand the body's functions and the complex relationship between emotional illness and other medical illnesses. The psychiatrist is thus the mental health professional and physician best qualified to distinguish between physical and psychological causes of both mental and physical distress.

A Psychologist is someone who studies the mind and behavior.
The term psychologist can apply to people who:
Use psychological knowledge and research to solve problems, such as treating mental illnesses Work as social scientists to conduct psychological research and teach at colleges or universities

Applied Psychologists utilize psychological principles and research to solve real-world problems. Examples include aviation psychologists, engineering psychology, industrial-organizational psychology and human factors psychologists.

Research Psychologists conduct studies and experiments with human or animal participants. Research psychologists often work for universities, private businesses or government entities. Their research may focus on a wide range of specialty areas within psychology, including cognition, neuroscience, personality, development or social behavior.

Mental Health Psychologists work with people suffering from mental disorders or psychological distress. They often work in hospitals, mental health clinics, schools, government offices or private practice.

Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility (IRF) is an inpatient rehabilitation hospital or part of a rehabilitation hospital, which provides an intensive rehabilitation program to inpatients. Rehabilitation is the process of restoring of skills for a person who has had an illness or injury so as to regain maximum self-sufficiency and function in a normal or as near normal manner as possible. IRF provides skilled nursing care to inpatients on a 24-hour basis, under the supervision of a doctor and a registered professional nurse.

Secondary Insurance, as the term implies, is insurance coverage that is available in addition to any primary policy that an insured may carry. It is often used to supplement existing policies or to cover any gaps in insurance coverage. It may also be present when two spouses have coverage through different employers. When coverage overlaps, there are methods available to determine how it will apply.

Independent Senior Living Community, simply put, is a community for active, healthy seniors who are able to live on their own. You can live in a home, townhouse, apartment, condo, and even a mobile home or motor home. You can own or rent or live as part of a cooperative. Think of it like living in your old neighborhood except these communities have age restrictions—usually over 55—and many offer amenities like clubhouses, gyms, yard maintenance, housekeeping and security. Independent Senior Living communities also typically offer transportation, laundry service, group meals, and social and cultural activities.

According to www.fortheinjured.com there are four types of Social Security Disability Insurance:
1) Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) provides financial benefits to people who have previously worked five out of the last 10 years but have become disabled to such an extent they can no longer work.
2) Disabled Widow's and Widower's Benefits provides financial benefits to widows or widowers who have become disabled within a certain amount of time after the death of their spouse. These benefits, like SSDI, require that the recipient has worked in the past and contributed to the Social Security program.
3)Disabled Adult Child Benefits provide financial support to children who become disabled before the age of 22, and whose parents are either deceased or receiving retirement or Social Security Disability payments
4) Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is different than the first three types; instead of taking into account past work contributions to the Social Security system, SSI looks at the income of the claimant. SSI is available for both disabled children and adults, although the requirements are different for each group.

A Social Worker is a helping professional who is distinguished from other human service professionals by a focus on both the individual and his or her environment. Generally, social workers have at least a bachelor's degree from an accredited education program and in most states they must be licensed, certified, or registered. A Master's in Social Work is required for those who provide psychotherapy or work in specific settings such as hospitals or nursing homes.

Special needs are the special or unique, out-of-the-ordinary concerns created by a person's medical, physical, mental, or developmental condition or disability. Additional services are usually needed to help a person in one or more of the following areas, among others, thinking, communication, movement, getting along with others, and taking care of self.

According to the mayoclinic.com Stress is a normal psychological and physical reaction to the ever increasing demands of life. Surveys show that most Americans experience challenges with stress at some point during the year. In looking at the causes of stress, remember that your brain comes hard-wired with an alarm system for your protection. When your brain perceives a threat, it signals your body to release a burst of hormones to fuel your capacity for a response. This has been labeled the "fight-or-flight" response. Once the threat is gone, your body is meant to return to a normal relaxed state. Unfortunately, the nonstop stress of modern life means that your alarm system rarely shuts off. Stress management gives you a range of tools to reset your alarm system. Without stress management, all too often your body is always on high alert. Over time, high levels of stress lead to serious health problems.

Supplemental Insurance benefits are optional insurance policies that can be purchased by the policyholder in addition to a primary insurance plan. Also, supplemental insurance policies can cover costs, including medical costs and lost wages that are not covered under the policyholder’s primary insurance policy. Supplemental insurance policies can be purchased through an employer or outside of any medical benefits associated with an employer.. Supplemental plans can pay for any expenses outside of an individual’s basic health plan coverage. For instance, a supplemental insurance plan may cover deductibles and co-pays, whereby the primary policy may not provide coverage. Different types of supplemental insurance policies can provide a variety of benefits. There are cancer supplemental insurance policies, accident policies and disability policies. The difference between these policies encompasses the types of medical benefits associated with the policies. For instance, cancer policies may cover chemotherapy and radiation; whereas, disability policies may provide coverage for lost wages resulting from injuries or illnesses.

A Support Group is a group of people, sometimes led by a facilitator, who provide each other moral support, information, and advice on problems relating to some shared characteristic or experience:. An example would be a support group for Caregivers.

Telephone Support is designed to provide special information and assistance through trained personnel and is used for counseling, referrals and emergencies