ADLs (Activities of Daily Living)	Activities usually performed for oneself in the course of a normal day. Examples: bathing, dressing, grooming, eating, walking, using the telephone, taking medications, and other personal care activities.
Administration on Aging (AoA)	An agency in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that is the official Federal agency dedicated to: -         policy development -         planning -         delivery of supportive home and community-based services to older persons and their caregivers.  The AoA administers the Older Americans Act.
Adult Day Care	A center that 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.
Area Agency on Aging	Under the Older Americans Act, the Administration on Aging distributes funds for various aging programs through state agencies on aging which in turn fund local area agencies on aging.  Area Agencies on Aging address the concerns of older Americans at the local level.
Assisted Living Facilities	A facility that provides a combination of housing and personalized health care in a professionally managed group setting designed to respond to the individual needs of persons who require assistance with the activities of daily living.
Assistive Technology	Any service or tool that helps the elderly or disabled do the activities they have always done but must now do differently.  These tools are also sometimes called “adaptive devices”.
Assisted Transportation	Provides personal and physical assistance to individuals who are dependent on others to reach and use community resources.
Care or Case Management	Case managers work with family members and older adults to assess, arrange and evaluate supportive efforts of seniors and their families to remain independent.
Caregiver	A generic term referring to a person, either paid or voluntary, who helps an older person with the activities of daily living, health care, financial matters, guidance, companionship and social interaction.  A caregiver can provide more than one aspect of care.  Most often, the term refers to a family member or friend who aids the older person.
Caregiver Resource Center	Provides help to an adult family member, or another individual, who is an informal provider of in-home care to an older individual in the form of information, assistance in gaining access to services, individual counseling/consultation and support services to help caregivers and grandparents raising grandchildren cope with their caregiving roles and/or develop and strengthen capacities for more adequate social and personal adjustments.
Chore Service	Chore service is available to persons who are physically unable to perform tasks, such as heavy cleaning, minor repair or yard work, and unable to secure assistance from family or friends nor have the means to pay privately.
Circuit Breaker	A state program which may provide a one time grant to seniors who meet income guidelines, are residents of the State of Illinois and paid property tax, mobile home tax, rent or charges to a nursing, retirement, or shelter care home that was subject to property taxes.
CMS	Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Comprehensive Care Coordination	The provision of a comprehensive needs assessment and service coordination to assist older persons to gain access to and receive needed services with efforts made to mobilize and coordinate formal and informal sources of support on behalf of the older person.  Based on the standard definition, the components of case management are described as follows: 1.   Case finding activities 2.    Intake 3.    Needs Assessment 4.    Care Plan Development 5.    Care Plan Implementation 6.     Review and Evaluation of Client Status 7.      Case Closure 8.      Case Transfer  The components of the holistic approach to case management are described as follows:  1.     Review of client’s total well-being which includes the environmental, physical, cognitive, psychological and social aspect of the client 2.      Identification of other support systems 3.      Need for further evaluation 4.      Identification of service 5.      Resource development 6.      Acceptable to the client  Source: Comprehensive Care Coordination – A Training Curriculum, Illinois Department on Aging (2007)
Comprehensive Needs Assessment	This instrument is the case manager’s guide in completing the holistic assessment.  Functional impairments are determined by administering the Functional Assessment, that is, the client’s level of impairment and unmet need for care as contained in the Determination of Need (DON) instrument.  The DON is the tool used to determine and incorporate the level of functional impairments into the case management comprehensive needs assessment process.  Source: Comprehensive Care Coordination – A Training Curriculum, Illinois Department on Aging
Congregate Meals	These meal programs provide older individuals with free or low cost, nutritionally sound meals served five days a week in easily accessible locations.  These meals promote better health through improved nutrition, daily activities and socialization for participants which helps reduce the isolation of older persons.
Elder Abuse	Elder abuse is a term referring to any knowing, intentional, or negligent act by a caregiver or any other person that causes harm or a serious risk of harm to a vulnerable adult.  Abuse may be physical, emotional, sexual, exploitation, neglect and abandonment.
Elder Abuse Prevention Programs	Allegations of abuse, neglect and exploitation of senior citizens are investigated by highly trained protective service specialists.  Intervention is provided in instances of substantiated elder abuse, neglect or exploitation.
Elder Self-Neglect	“Self-neglect means a condition that is the result of an eligible adult’s inability, due to physical or mental impairments, or both, or diminished capacity, to perform essential self-care tasks that substantially threaten his or her own health, including: providing essential food, clothing, shelter, and health care; and obtaining goods and services necessary to maintain physical health, mental health, emotional well-being, and general safety.” Defined in Illinois statute [320 ILCS 20/2 (2007)]
Energy Assistance	These programs can provide low-income elderly homeowners and renters with funds to help pay home utility and heating costs.
Friendly Visitors/Telephone Reassurance	These programs provide regular personal or telephone contact for older persons who are homebound or live alone.
Gap Filling	Emergency assistance to meet needs of older adults living in a non-institutional setting for purposes of maintaining independence, poviding a safe environment and/or delaying institutionalization.
Grandparents Raising Grand Children Legal Assistance	Includes the arranging for and providing of assistance in resolving civil legal matters and the protection of legal rights, including legal advice, research, and education concerning legal rights and representation by an attorney at law, a trained paralegal professional (supervised by an attorney) for grandparents and other kinship caregivers who are 60 years of age and older and raising children 18 years of age and younger in obtaining needed legal services.
Guardian	An individual appointed by a court of law to manage a person’s financial and/or personal affairs because the court has found that the person is not competent to manage his or her own affairs.  A conservator is similarly appointed, but only for financial affairs.
Guardianship	The process in which an individual is appointed by a court of law to manage a person’s financial and/or personal affairs because the person is not able to or is not competent to manage his/her own affairs.
Home and Community-Based Services	A variety of supportive services delivered in community settings or in an older person’s home which are designed to help older persons remain living at home and avoid institutionalization.
Home Delivered Meals	Home delivered meals are hot and nutritious meals delivered to homebound persons who are unable to prepare their own meals and have no outside assistance.
Home Health Care	Home health care is recognized as an increasingly important alternative to hospitalization or care in a nursing home for patients who do not need 24 hour a day professional supervision.  Many people find it possible to remain at home for the entire duration of their illness or at least to shorten their hospital stay.
Homemaker Services	Homemaker service is extended to individuals who are unable to perform day to day household duties and have no one available to assist them.  Services include light housekeeping, laundry, limited personal care, grocery shopping, meal preparation and shopping assistance.
Hospice	At-home and hospital care of the terminally ill.  It combines both medical and social services.  Hospice care emphasizes pain control, symptom management, and emotional support rather than life-sustaining efforts and is meant to help both the patient and family members.
Illinois Cares Rx	A program of the State of Illinois which may provide help in paying for prescription drugs for seniors and disabled individuals who meet program guidelines.
Information & Assistance	A service for older individuals that (A) provides the individuals with current information on opportunities and services available to individuals within their communities, including information relating to assistive technology; (B) assess the problems and capacities of the individuals; (C) links the individuals to the opportunities and services that are available; (D) to the maximum extent practicable, ensures that the individuals receive the services needed by the individuals, and are aware of the opportunities available to the individuals, by establishing adequate follow-up procedures. Source: Policy & Procedures Manual for Area Agencies on Aging, Illinois Department on Aging (1998)
Legal Assistance	Legal advice and representation to persons aged 60 and over for certain types of legal matters, including government program benefits, tenant rights, and consumer problems.
Long Term Care	A general term that describes a range of medical, nursing, custodial, social and community services designed to help people with chronic health impairments or forms of dementia.
Long Term Care Insurance	This type of insurance policy is designed to cover long term care expenses in a facility or at home.
Long Term Care Ombudsman	Long term care ombudsman work cooperatively with nursing homes and board and care facilities to improve the quality of life for residents.  They serve as patient’s rights advocates.  They investigate complaints and negotiate resolutions to concerns voiced by residents in matters of resident services and care.
Medicaid	Medicaid is a health benefit program administered by States for people with low incomes who meet other eligibility requirements.  The health insurance program is financed by the federal and state governments.  Medicaid may also pay for nursing home care if the individual’s income and assets are within certain limits
Medicare	The national health insurance program for eligible people 65 and older and some disabled individuals.  Part A covers hospital costs.  Part B covers doctor bills and other medical costs.  Part D is prescription  coverage.
Medication Management	Services to help older persons who have limited ability to manage prescription drugs.  The goal of medication management is to promote and prolong independent living for older persons who are at risk of losing their independence due to the inability to manage prescription medications.  Provides help in   obtaining & refilling medications, storing & controlling medications, sorting doses of medication in organizers and disposing of medication.  Also assists the client with self-administered medications.
Medigap	is designed specifically to supplement and complement Medicare’s benefits by filling in some of the gaps of Medicare coverage.  Medigap insurance policies are non-group policies that may pay for Medicare deductibles, prescription drugs, or other services not covered by Medicare.
Money Management	- Provides trained volunteers to help with organizing bills, writing checks,    balancing checkbooks, intervening with creditors and helping sort out medical bills.  Volunteers can serve as representative payees, designated by Social Security.  Volunteers are screened, trained and supervised by an agency.
PDP	Prescription Drug Plans
QI-1 - Qualifying Individual (QI-1) Program	-  Pays for Medicare’s Part B premium. 2007 Federal Income and Assets Limits to quality for this program are:         Monthly income of $1,149 (individual) or $1,540 (Couple) and Asset Limits* of  $4,000 (individual) or $6,000 (Couple).  For further information, you may contact the Senior Health Insurance Program (SHIP) at 1-800-548-9034. * Excluded from   assets are:  a home, one car, personal effects, some life insurance and a burial fund (up to $1,500)
QMB - Qualified Medicare Beneficiary	QMB is a supplement to Medicare Part A & Part B.  It pays for Medicare Part A and B premiums, deductibles and coinsurance.  It coordinates with Medicare to provide full coverage for Medicare-covered services from a Medicaid-certified doctor.  Note:  If you are enrolled in Original Medicare, you must see Medicaid providers to get coverage for Medicare     deductibles and coinsurance.  If you are enrolled in a Medicare HMO you will have to pay your HMO premiums (if any), but you should not be charged any copays.  2007 Federal Income and *Assets Limits to quality for this program are:        Monthly income of $851 (individual) or $1,141 (Couple) and Asset Limits of $4,000 (individual) or $6,000 (Couple).  For further information, you may contact the Senior Health Insurance Program (SHIP) at 1-800-548-9034.  * Excluded from assets are:  a home, one car, personal effects, some life insurance and a burial fund (up to $1,500)
Respite Care	The provision of short-term relief (respite) to families caring for their frail elders. Respite services encompass traditional home based care, as well as adult day health, skilled nursing, home health aide and short term institutional  care.  Respite can vary in time from part of a day to several weeks.
Senior Center	- Senior centers function as meal sites, screening clinics, recreational centers, social service agency branch offices, mental health counseling clinics, older worker employment agencies, volunteer coordinating centers, and community meeting halls.  They offer the opportunity for socialization.
SLMB - Specified Low-income Medicare Beneficiary	Pays for Medicare’s Part B premium. 2007 Federal Income and *Assets Limits to quality for this program are: Monthly income of $1,021 (individual) or $1,369 (Couple) and Asset Limits of  $4,000 (individual) or $6,000 (Couple).  For further information, you may contact the Senior Health Insurance Program (SHIP) at 1-800-548-9034.  *Excluded from assets are:  a home, one car, personal effects, some life insurance and a burial fund (up to $1,500)
Senior Information Services	Provides information to help maintain seniors in the least restrictive environment.
(SHIP) State Health Insurance Information Counseling and Assistance Programs	Volunteers trained by the Department of  Insurance who offer unbiased, one-on- one counseling to assist Medicare beneficiaries understand their health insurance benefits and options.  To find your local SHIP agency, call 1-800-548-9034 or check out their website at:  www.idfpr.com
SPAP	State Pharmaceutical Assistance Program
State Agencies on Aging (SUA’s)	The Older Americans Act mandates that each state have a state agency on aging which is part of state government.  The State Agency on Aging is the designated focal point within the state government responsible for administering a complex service system designed to complement and support other human service systems in meeting the needs of the elderly.
Supportive Living Program	Illinois developed the Supportive Living Program as an alternative to nursing home care for low-income older persons and persons with disabilities under Medicaid.  By combining apartment-style housing with personal care and other services, residents can live independently and take part in decision-making.  Personal choice, dignity, privacy and individuality are emphasized.  To test the concept of supportive living for Medicaid clients, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services has obtained a “waiver” to allow payment for services that are not routinely covered by Medicaid.  These include personal care, homemaking, laundry, medication supervision, social activities, recreation and 24-hour staff to meet residents’ scheduled and unscheduled needs.  The resident is responsible for paying the cost of room and board at the facility.
Transportation	Programs that provide door-to-door transportation for people who may be elderly or disabled, who do not have private transportation and who are unable to utilize public transportation to meet their needs.