Senior Housing Acronyms Guide

This is your senior housing acronym guide or secret to the alphabet soup of senior housing. Every industry has its own terminology. The senior housing industry is no different. All the acronyms try to capture the level of care offered at the senior living facility.

CarePlanIt’s IAD model is a great way to unscramble the alphabet soup. See our IAD model here. We present the decoder ring below tied to our IAD model.

Independent Living Senior Housing Acronyms

These senior housing acronyms refer to seniors seeking independent living environments.

IL – Independent Living

Independent Living is for seniors who can live independently. They can perform all their ADLs and most or all of their IADLs. However, they desire to be in a community of seniors. This community also can provide companionship and social opportunities with others of a similar age. Also, independent living facilities usually offer specific services, amenities, and programs that cater to senior adults and promote active, healthy lifestyles for their retirement years.

HHC – Home Health Care

Home health care is when a medical professional like a physical therapist or nurse helps seniors live at home. The goal is to help them live independently for as long as possible, even with an illness or injury.

CCRC – Continuing Care Retirement Community

Continuing Care Retirement Community (aka Life Plan Community) offers seniors housing environments that match their needs over time. Technically, CCRCs could be any IAD category. However, seniors are attracted to CCRCs early in their care needs. In other words, they enter when they can live independently. For example, CCRCs offer independent living, assisted living, and dependent living options. In other words, IL, AL, and SNF/LTC. Consequently, these facilities need to have these options on their own campuses (on their property) or contract with nearby facilities. CCRCs enter into contracts with residents that define housing benefits and costs.

Assisted Living Senior Housing Acronyms

These senior housing acronyms refer to seniors seeking assisted living environments.

AL – Assisted Living

Assisted Living is a housing option for seniors who cannot live independently and need help with their IADLs. For example, they may need help with medication management, meals, house cleaning, and laundry. AL facilities also offer congregate dining halls and attendants that can come to the senior’s apartment or room to help with emergencies.

STR – Short Term Rehabilitation

Short-term rehabilitation facilities are a subset of SNFs that provide therapy for individuals recovering from an illness, surgery, or accident. These programs also help patients quickly achieve their maximum functional capacity and return home. Moreover, STR facilities offer physical, occupational, and speech therapy. These services are provided by medical professionals like physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech pathologists.

MC/MCAL – Memory Care / Memory Care Assisted Living

Unlike the facilities above, memory care provides specialized services and engagement activities for seniors living with dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. For example, MC facilities are staffed by employees specifically trained in caring for seniors with memory impairment.

Dependent Living Senior Housing Acronyms

These senior housing acronyms refer to seniors needing dependent environments.

LTC – Long Term Care

Long-term care refers to providing personal, social, and medical care services on a continuing basis. These services are provided to seniors with chronic physical or cognitive issues.

SNF – Skilled Nursing Facility

Unlike LTC facilities, a skilled nursing facility is a facility granted this designation by Medicare and Medicaid systems. In other words, these facilities have more trained medical professionals than LTC facilities. SNFs have a multidisciplinary team composed of “skilled” medical professionals that guide health care and rehabilitative services. These facilities usually accept short-term residents for rehabilitation and long-term residents requiring nursing level care.

Other Resources On Senior Housing Acronyms

A comprehensive senior housing acronym guide is available here.