Aged care providers glossary
Short, plain-English definitions of the terms you'll meet when choosing a aged care provider in London, Ontario.
- Live-in caregiver vs live-out caregiver
- A live-in caregiver resides in the client's home and provides round-the-clock availability, while a live-out caregiver works scheduled shifts and returns to their own residence.
- What are activities of daily living (ADLs)?
- Activities of daily living (ADLs) are fundamental self-care tasks such as bathing, dressing, toileting, transferring, and eating that are used to measure a person's functional ability and determine care requirements.
- What are Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs)?
- Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs) are complex tasks necessary for independent living, such as meal preparation, medication management, financial handling, and transportation, distinct from basic self-care activities.
- What are levels of care?
- Levels of care are the tiers of residential support that retirement homes offer, ranging from independent living to assisted and enhanced care, each bundling specific services and staffing ratios to match resident needs.
- What are long-term care wait list categories (crisis vs non-crisis)?
- Ontario categorizes long-term care applicants as either crisis (urgent need due to unsafe living) or non-crisis (planned admission), with crisis status determining placement priority at homes.
- What is a care plan?
- A care plan is a personalized document that outlines an older adult's specific health conditions, daily living needs, care goals, and the services required to support their wellbeing.
- What is a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order?
- A Do Not Resuscitate order is a legally recognized instruction that tells healthcare providers not to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) if a person's heart stops beating or they stop breathing.
- What is a Ministry inspection report for LTC homes?
- A Ministry of Long-Term Care inspection report is an official audit document that records whether a home meets provincial care, safety, and operational standards, including any violations or complaints investigated.
- What is a Personal Support Worker (PSW)?
- A Personal Support Worker (PSW) is an Ontario-certified health care aide who provides direct personal care, hygiene, and mobility assistance to seniors and persons with disabilities, working under the direction of nurses or care plans but without prescribing medications or performing medical procedures.
- What is a power of attorney for personal care?
- A power of attorney for personal care is an Ontario legal document that designates an agent to make health, medical, and personal care decisions on behalf of a person who has lost decision-making capacity.
- What is a secured memory care unit?
- A secured memory care unit is a locked residential setting with controlled access points and enclosed outdoor spaces, designed to prevent residents with dementia or cognitive decline from leaving unattended.
- What is a substitute decision maker?
- A substitute decision maker is a person legally authorized to make health care decisions on behalf of someone who lacks the capacity to make those decisions themselves, as defined under Ontario's Health Care Consent Act.
- What is aging in place?
- Aging in place is the practice of living in one's own home with necessary modifications and care support services rather than relocating to a residential care facility.
- What is Alternate Level of Care (ALC)?
- Alternate Level of Care (ALC) is an Ontario hospital designation for patients medically ready for discharge but awaiting placement in a lower-acuity setting such as a long-term care home.
- What is basic vs preferred accommodation in long-term care?
- Basic, semi-private, and private room types in Ontario long-term care homes are funded and priced differently, with basic rooms covered by provincial funding and preferred (semi-private and private) rooms requiring additional resident or family payment.
- What is CCAC / Home and Community Care Support Services?
- Home and Community Care Support Services (HCCSS) is the provincial body in Ontario that manages access to home and community care, coordinates placement in long-term care facilities, and arranges care services for residents in regions including South West, formerly known as CCAC (Community Care Access Centre).
- What is companion care?
- Companion care is non-medical support focused on socialization, light supervision, and assistance with daily tasks, distinct from personal or nursing care.
- What is ODSP and seniors?
- ODSP is Ontario's needs-based income support program for working-age adults with disabilities; seniors aged 65 and over typically transition to Old Age Security (OAS) and Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) instead, which affects access to provincial senior care services and subsidies.
- What is respite care?
- Respite care is temporary care provided to elderly or disabled individuals to give their primary family caregivers a scheduled break from caregiving duties.
- What is sundowning?
- Sundowning is a pattern of increased confusion, agitation, and behavioral changes that typically occur in the late afternoon or evening in people with dementia or cognitive decline.
- What is the difference between an RPN and an RN?
- An RN (Registered Nurse) and RPN (Registered Practical Nurse) are two separate nursing credentials regulated by the College of Nurses of Ontario, differing in education length, licensing requirements, and clinical scope.
- What is the Palliative Performance Scale?
- The Palliative Performance Scale (PPS) is a scored assessment tool (0-100%) used by clinicians to evaluate a patient's functional ability and predict survival in palliative care settings.
- What is the Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI-MDS)?
- The RAI-MDS is a standardized assessment instrument used in Ontario long-term care homes to evaluate a resident's physical, cognitive, and psychosocial needs and inform personalized care planning.
- What is wandering in dementia care?
- Wandering is repetitive or purposeless movement common in dementia, often triggered by confusion, restlessness, or attempts to locate a familiar place or person; memory care facilities manage it through secured environments and monitoring systems.