Activities of Daily Living

(ADL's) Bathing, dressing,  eating, toileting, transferring, ambulating, and incontinence.

Adult Day Care

A licensed day care program  providing personal care, supervision, and assistance in eating, bathing,  dressing, toileting, moving about and taking medications.

Assisted Living Facility

Independent living facilities  that provide on-site services like meals, supervision, and assistance with  activities of daily living (ADL's).

Benefit Eligibility Triggers

Defines the requirements in order for an  insurance company to consider your claim. Most often it is the inability to  perform a specific number of Activities of Daily Living and/or impairment of a  cognitive ability such as Alzheimers.

Benefit Period

The length of time your long-term care  policy will pay benefits. This is usually calculated in time periods such as a  1,2,3,4,5,6 year or lifetime.

Care Management

A licensed care manager that  will assess your condition, create a plan of care along with your physician,  coordinate and monitor ongoing care needs. Typically this is a licensed  registered nurse.

Cognitive Impairment

Mental deterioration caused by  Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia.

Comprehensive Policy

Most popular plan design. This  policy pays for long-term care at home, in a residential assisted living  facility, as well as in a nursing home.

Congregate Facilities

Retirement apartments where  housekeeping, meals, laundry and other amenities are available.

Continuing Care Retirement Facilities

A facility where residents own  their housing unit, and pay a large one-time entry free plus a monthly  maintenance fee in exchange for the assurance of lifetime long-term  care.

Daily Benefit

The daily maximum dollar amount paid by  the insurance company toward your daily expenses.

Elimination Period

The number of days you must wait  after you are eligible for benefits before the policy begins paying for your  care.

Home Care Only Policy

This policy pays for long-term  care at home ONLY and for some community care.

Home Health Care

Skilled nursing or other professional  services/therapies in your residence.

Homemaker Services

Housekeeping, cooking and  grocery shopping.

Hospice Care

Support for people with terminal  illness.

Independent Living

Senior retirement dwellings  with no built-in services.

Inflation Protection

An option whereby your original  daily benefit will increase 5% each year, credited on a simple or compounded  basis. This is to keep up the future increasing costs of care.

Long-Term Care Insurance

A type of insurance designed to  reimburse you or pay directly your medical expenses when you need assistance  with the acts of daily living. This insurance pays for care which your regular  health insurance does not.

Medicaid

A state-assistance program providing  health care services to people with low income and few assets

Medicare

Government healthcare program  for people age 65 and over.

Non-Forfeiture  Benefits

A policy rider which allows you to retain  some benefit of a long-term care policy if you drop your policy.

Nursing Facility Only Policy

This policy only pays for care  in a nursing home or similar facility.

Personal Care

Bathing, grooming and transferring from  chair to bed.

Preexisting  Condition

A medical condition you had  during the six months before you purchased the long-term care policy.

Residential  Care Facility

A facility which provides room  and board, assistance with personal care and any necessary  supervision.

Respite Care

Temporary relief to caregivers.

Skilled Nursing  Facility

Licensed facilities providing both  skilled nursing and custodial care.

Waiver of  Premium

Allows you to stop paying premiums while  the policy is paying  benefits.