24-Hour Care: In-home care is provided continuously over a 24-hour period. Also known as around-the-clock home care.
ADLs (Activities of Daily Living): Essential tasks required for daily functioning, including bathing, dressing, grooming, eating, mobility, and toileting.
Aging In Place: The choice of seniors to remain in their homes as they age instead of relocating to independent or assisted living facilities.
Alzheimer’s Disease: A progressive neurodegenerative disorder that impairs memory and other vital cognitive functions, affecting communication, behavior, and thinking.
Arthritis: A term encompassing various conditions that cause joint pain, stiffness, and swelling. Osteoarthritis is the most common type among over 200 different forms.
Care Plan (or Plan of Care): A detailed document outlining the tasks and goals necessary to support a client’s physical, mental, and emotional well-being. It includes the specific home care services required and when care will begin.
Care Team: A collaborative group of individuals dedicated to enhancing a person’s physical, emotional, and social well-being. This team may include healthcare professionals, caregivers, family, friends, and other support persons.
Caregiver: Professionals who offer companionship and personal care, assisting with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, grooming, and providing mobility and safety support, meal preparation, housekeeping, and transportation.
Change in Condition Monitoring: A caregiver task that involves observing clients and recording or reporting any signs of changes in their mental, physical, or emotional states.
Companion Care: Companion care provides seniors with non-medical support focused on emotional well-being, friendship, and social engagement. Activities include conversation, mental stimulation through games and walks, meal preparation, laundry, light housekeeping, grocery shopping, errands, transportation, and reminders for hygiene and grooming. Caregivers also offer medication reminders and maintain communication with family members. This type of care is vital for promoting positive mental health and reducing feelings of isolation and loneliness among seniors.
Coronavirus (COVID-19): A viral infection that can cause symptoms ranging from mild to severe, including fever, cough, shortness of breath, and sore throat. Symptoms may vary based on age and underlying health conditions. For more information, refer to the CDC.
End-of-Life Care: When a loved one faces a limited life expectancy, many prefer to spend their final days at home. We support seniors and their families by collaborating with hospice agencies or medical providers to meet comprehensive care needs. Our caregivers assist with personal care and household tasks while providing emotional support to family members.
Family Room/Family Portal: The Family Room is an online portal designed to enhance transparency in care and enable family members to engage in their loved one’s care. Through this platform, families can access caregiver notes, photos, schedules, and invoices and communicate directly with our care team.
GrandPad: GrandPad is a user-friendly touch-screen tablet created for seniors. It facilitates connection with family, friends, and caregivers by offering video chat, games, and other basic apps, opening new avenues for engagement and interaction. Learn more about GrandPad, which is available through our services.
Home Care or In-Home Care: Typically refers to non-medical services provided in the home, including companionship, homemaking, and personal care. In-home care ensures individuals receive support in a comfortable and familiar environment.
Home Health: A term that encompasses skilled nursing care and therapeutic services such as speech, physical, or occupational therapy provided in the home setting to support recovery and health maintenance.
Home Health Aide: A term interchangeable with caregiver, referring to professionals who offer companionship and personal care services. Home health aides assist with bathing, dressing, grooming, mobility, safety, meal preparation, housekeeping, transportation, and activities that promote engagement and connection.
Hospice Care: Specialized care focused on providing comfort and support for individuals with serious illnesses. In hospice care, the emphasis shifts from curative treatment to comfort measures, ensuring quality of life for patients and support for their families.
IADLs (Instrumental Activities of Daily Living): Important activities that enhance a client’s overall quality of life, including shopping, paying bills, household chores, and meal preparation.
Incontinence: The loss of bladder or bowel control, which can significantly impact daily living and quality of life for seniors.
Interactive Caregiving: A signature approach where caregivers engage clients actively in their care, promoting participation and interaction. This method enhances the caregiver-client relationship while keeping seniors physically and mentally engaged.
Ischemia: A cardiovascular condition characterized by reduced blood supply to the heart, leading to decreased oxygen and blood flow. More information, including details on silent ischemia, can be found through the American Heart Association.
Live-in Care: A type of home care where caregivers reside in the home with their clients, providing continuous support and assistance while fostering companionship.
Memory Care: A specialized form of long-term care tailored to support individuals with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, or other memory-related conditions. This care focuses on maintaining dignity and enhancing the quality of life for those facing cognitive challenges.
Mobility Assistance: Services that help individuals who require support with moving around. This can include assistance with walking, transferring between positions, and using mobility aids to ensure safety and comfort.
MS (Multiple Sclerosis): A central nervous system disease where the immune system attacks the protective covering of nerves, disrupting communication between the brain and the body. For more information, visit the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
Myocardial Infarction: Also known as a heart attack, this condition occurs when blood flow to the heart is blocked. For more information, visit the American Heart Association.
Palliative Care: A holistic approach for seriously ill patients that focuses on managing pain and symptoms while providing emotional and practical support. Palliative care teams may include doctors, nurses, social workers, nutritionists, spiritual advisors, and in-home caregivers, continuing efforts to treat the underlying disease.
Parkinson’s Disease: A neurodegenerative disorder that affects specific brain neurons, leading to movement difficulties and often beginning with tremors in one hand. For further information, visit the Parkinson’s Foundation.
Personal Care: A comprehensive term encompassing assistance with personal hygiene and daily living activities, including dressing, grooming, and toileting. Lone Star Home Care Solutions LLC’s trained caregivers provide a range of support, from standby assistance to full care, tailored to individual client needs. Services can include bathing, mobility assistance, incontinence care, meal preparation, and support for social outings and activities.
Pneumonia: Pneumonia is an inflammation of the lungs caused by either a bacterial or viral infection. Typical symptoms include cough, fever, chills, and difficulty breathing. For more details, visit the American Lung Association.
Private Duty Nursing: Unlike standard in-home care, private duty nurses deliver one-on-one skilled medical care. They are qualified professionals, either Registered Nurses (RNs) or Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs), providing care in the comfort of the patient’s home or in a facility such as a hospital or nursing home.
Respite Care: Respite care involves temporarily transferring primary caregiving responsibilities to another individual, usually a professional caregiver, friend, or family member. This allows primary caregivers to take a break from their caregiving duties.
Safety Choice: In-home safety technologies, such as medical alert systems and motion detectors, offered exclusively by Lone Star Home Care Solutions LLC, enhance the safety of clients at home.
Social Determinants of Health: These are the conditions impacting individuals throughout their lives, including socioeconomic status, education, neighborhood characteristics, employment, social support networks, and access to healthcare.
Sundowners Syndrome: Also known as Sundown Syndrome, this condition is commonly associated with Alzheimer’s and dementia. It typically manifests in the late afternoon or evening, leading to confusion, agitation, irritability, or restlessness, which can affect sleep.
TIA (Transient Ischemic Attack): A TIA is a temporary stroke-like episode that requires immediate medical attention. It can be an indication of a potential future stroke. For more information, visit the American Stroke Association.
Transitional Care: Transitional care refers to home care services designed for individuals returning home after a hospital stay, injury, procedure, or time in a rehabilitation facility. This type of care may include transportation to and from appointments, medication reminder assistance, physician-recommended exercise or dietary plan support, and other in-home care services provided by Lone Star Home Care Solutions LLC.
