| TERM |
DEFINITION |
| Advocacy |
Active support of an idea or cause, such as "healthcare" e.g. advocating for better care or faster access to resources. |
| Assessment |
The act of assessing by a qualified health care professional; appraisal; evalutation for the purpose of gaining insight. |
| CCAC |
Community Care Access Center; operated by Ontario Social Services to provide home care to people eligible for support. Care is allocated by CCAC case managers after making assessments and determining needs. |
| Cancer Care |
Providing specialized care for a patient diagnosed with cancer; considers the type, stage and progress of the cancer, as well as all other influencing factors. |
| Care for the Elderly |
Make provision for those who are wise, in years of life; having peace-of-mind that the person is well prepared for changes and decisons which may impact quality of life; maintaining independence and knowing that all aspects of life are being considered. |
| Care for Seniors |
Refers to person who has over 65 years of life. See "Care for Elderly" |
| Caregiver |
A person who takes responsibility for the healthcare of an individual; may be a family member, close friend or professional hire; usually a well trained and educated person who has special skills and experience which contribute to their ability to provide care. |
| Case Management |
Coordination of all activities related to a case; a course of action for a situation involving an individual and the implementation of a program; specifically, the process by which all health-related matters of a patient's case are managed by a health professional. |
| Concierge Healthcare |
Accessing healthcare services through a single point-of-contact that improves the overall coordination; generally provides a high level of service with personal attention; often referred to as "concierge medical services; retainer medicine; boutique medicine; executive health programs; platinum practises..." |
| Elder Care |
See "Care for Elderly" |
| Geriatric Care |
Care for an older person, while encouraging as much independence as possible; relates to long-term care, including but not limited to; nursing; gerontology; social work or psychology wih a specialised focus on issues related to aging and elder care. See "Care for Elderly". |
| Government Services |
Any social service which is funded and provided by a government department or designate; including some health care services and home health care services which are provided in Onatrio by Community Care Access Centers (CCAC). |
| Healthcare Aid (HCA) |
A well trained and qualified caregiver with extensive experience and skils who provides personal care for sick or disabled patients; HCA precedes PSW or "Personal Support Worker" as the Ontario certification; usually provided by community colleges and other certified facilities. |
| Home Care |
Receiving the necessary support needed to remain at home; while maintaining independence and dignity when one is sick or disabled; can be provided by a friend, family member or professional hire. |
| Hospice |
A program that provides support to palliative patients that may attend to the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of terminally ill patients and their families; provides end of life care and support at an inpatient facility or in a patient's home. |
| Hospital at Home |
Setting up a safe environment to provide healthcare for a patient at home; using a professional healthcare service to provide equipment, supplies and services required for proper care during a recovery process for a short-term illness or to provide palliative care at end of life. |
| In-home Elder Care |
Caring for a senior in the comfort of their home, rather than at a hospital or inpatient facility; in-home care creates a comfortable environment for the patient, while receiving the care they require. |
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Live-in Caregiver
|
A caregiver, usually a professional hire, who resides with the person they are caring for; provides around-the-clock companionship and daily care; may reside on visiting basis for short-term periods (several days) or may reside for long-term periods i.e. move-in; (months or years) usually fulfilled by a Foreign Worker under the Canadian government's Foreign Worker Live-in Caregiver Program. |
| Live-in Care |
The professional and genuine care that is provided by a live-in caregiver; around-the-clock companionship and dailycare. Gives patient and family peace-of-mind in that they are being carefully monitored and properly cared for day and night. |
| Long-Term Care Facilities |
Institutions or facilities which provide beds and nursing services for seniors who are no longer able to be independent and need the extra care and support; long-term care facilities in Ontario are funded by the government and access is controlled by the local CCAC. |
| Moving SolutionsTM |
A personalised service provided by Qualicare that is intended to assist clients with all the details of a household move; to choose a new residence, packing and transporting personal belongings or handling the difficult emotional transition that accompanies these significant changes. |
| Nurse |
See "Registered Nurse". |
| Nursing Homes |
Facilities that provide shelter and services similar to those of retirement homes but that also include nursing and/or personal care services; designed for seniors who are no longer able to be independent and who may have an illness or series of health issues. |
| Palliative Care |
Providing comfort measures for patients with terminal illnesses. |
| Palliative Home Care |
Quality end-of-life care that is provided with the utmost dignity and respect in the comfort of one's own home. |
| Palliative Nursing Care |
Quality end-of-life care that is provided by a educated, trained and experienced Registered Nurse (RN). |
| Parent Care |
Caring for one's parents; usually performed by the children but can be provided by professionals. |
| Personal Care Manager (PCM) |
A qualified Registered Nurse in charge of managing a client's case; also provides training and around the clock support for Personal Support Workers; health and human services specialists who help families care for aging or ill relatives, while encouraging as much independence as possible; usually trained in healthcare diciplines related to long-term care, including but not limited to; nursing; gerontology; social work or psychology, specializing in issues related to elder care. |
| Personal Support Worker (PSW) |
An qualified caregiver certified in the Ontario community college program with the ability to provide personal care and support to persons who are aging and/or who may have acute, chronic or terminal illnesses. |
| Prevention |
Any activity whihc reduces the burden of mortality of morbidity from disease. |
| Private Healthcare |
Quality healthcare which is provided by a privately paid company and not through government funded services; under the Canadian Health Act, private services may not provide "medically necessary" healthcare services to individuals but may provide additional complementary services. |
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Private Nursing
|
Nursing that is provided by a privately owned company; allows for higher quality care as nurses are usually coving a smaller number of cases and time is allocated to focus on the client's needs. |
| Private Care Services |
Any service which is provided by a privately-owned company; usually results in better quality care as the amount of resources are increased and focused on a smaller number of clientele. |
| Registered Nurse |
A person educated and trained with extensive experience in the health care field to care for the sick or disabled; also referred to as Registered Nurse (RN) or a Registered Practical Nurse (RPN). |
| Retirement Communities |
Facilities or residential communities that provide services specifically for retired seniors; nursing and healthcare services may or may not be available.
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