What is Long-Term Care?

     

Long-term care refers to chronic "custodial" care, which encompasses a broad range of supportive medical, personal, and social services needed by people who are unable to meet their basic living needs for an extended period of time because of medical, physical, and cognitive conditions caused by an accident, illness, or frailty.

      Long-term care involves receiving the assistance or supervision of another person(s) to perform the essential activities of daily living ( ADLs ) when these tasks can no longer be performed independently. The ADLs include eating, bathing, dressing, mobility, toileting, transferring, and maintaining continence. ADL assistance may be provided at home by formal (paid) caregivers, such as home health aides or by informal (unpaid) caregivers, such as family members or friends. ADL assistance may also be provided in a nursing home or assisted living facility.