Nursing Home Care is 24 hour a day care provided in an institutional type setting. Most policies will require that the nursing home be licensed in the state that they operate in. There is staff available at all times, and usually a Registered Nurse on duty at all times. Medications and meals are provided. The client will have a room that will be private, or semi-private. Private rooms are more expensive than semi-private rooms. If you know that you will want a private room, you may want to consider increasing the daily benefit when you apply for coverage. 

Assisted Living allows for more independence, but also has staff available 24 hours per day. A Registered Nurse is not always on duty, and not always required in this setting. The client will have his or her own “apartment” or room that is much bigger than a nursing home room. They are usually able to dress themselves and walk to the dining area for meals. Medications are generally handed out to each client. Meals are prepared for them either in a restaurant style setting, or a family dining type setting. Clients who live in Assisted Living are sometimes still able to drive, but not usually. Most policies will require that the Assisted Living facility also be licensed in the state that they operate in. In order to live in an Assisted Living facility, the client must be able to “Negotiate the Pathway to Safety”. This means that they are mentally and physically able to get up and exit the building with little instruction in the event of a fire or other disaster. Each state monitors this process in their own fashion, and if they observe a resident who cannot accomplish this task, they will give the facility 30 days to retrain that individual. If after 30 days they are still not able to complete the task, they will be asked to move to another level of care.   

Home Health Care means that you are receiving services in your home. Home health care usually means skilled medical care in the home, and it is considered acute care for a short period of time.  In-home care is for chronic conditions that cause you to need help at home—either 24-hour care or just a few hours every day. Home care aides and companion services are generally used in this case. A Registered Nurse is usually not required for in-home care. Live-in, or 24 hour care in the home is much more expensive than nursing home care typically. Some policies will require that a licensed home health agency provide the care, other policies will allow for a friend or someone in the community to provide the care. Most policies in the past have not had a provision for family members to be the care providers, but recently this seems to be changing. 

Hospice Care is implemented when you have 6 months or less to live, as stated by a physician. Hospice can be provided in the home, or in a nursing home type setting. Usually, a Hospice Agency will become involved. They will teach the family or other caregivers how to care for you and keep you comfortable during your last days. Pain control measures are implemented if this is required. The actual Hospice Nurse is not with the family 24 hours per day. If the family needs 24 hour care while their loved one is in a hospice program, they will need to hire an agency to provide those services. The Hospice Nurse provides education and training to the family, and supports them through the end of life process. At this point, no life saving measures are implemented—only comfort measures. 

Adult Day is care provided during the day while families are at work. The Adult Day Care Center either picks up the client, or the family drops them off in the morning, and then they return to their home at night. Most ADC Centers will dispense medications during the day; provide meals, and a multitude of activities. Day trips and outings are common, as well as entertainment at the facility. Most ADC Centers are now calling themselves “Clubs for Mature Seniors”. The newer ADC Centers are very aesthetically pleasing, and offer a wide variety of services.