Long-Term Care

Long-term care includes an array of services used by persons who need assistance to perform daily activities that are basic to living independently. These daily activities include self-care activities (e.g., eating, dressing, bathing, and getting around the house) and household tasks (e.g., shopping, preparing meals, managing money, using the telephone, housecleaning, and taking medications). The term "long-term care" encompasses the range of services needed to perform these activities; it may also include supervision and monitoring for safety and some medical care. Long-term care services are provided in private homes, nursing homes, and a variety of other settings. Conditions that can create a need for long-term care services include physical disability, frailty, chronic illness, mental retardation, mental illness, and cognitive disabilities such as Alzheimer's disease.