Your Guide to Understanding Senior Living’s Alphabet Soup: What do IL, AL, SNF, STR, HHC, MCAL, LTC and CCRC mean?

If you are new to the world of senior living services, you might be confused by some of the acronyms and other “insider” terminology often used. Similar to the hospital and information technology sectors, senior living has its own unique language.

Lisa Bates, Senior Director, Marketing & Sales at Williamsburg Landing in Williamsburg, Virginia, says, “As the spouses and adult children of seniors begin to evaluate options for senior living services, they often encounterterms that are unfamiliar. Navigating the vernacular describing various options can sometimes feel like reading a foreign language.  

“To help you and your family gain a better understanding of the many different options available, we are pleased to provide a glossary of terms and their definitions to make your evaluation and decision making process easier.”

Common Senior Living Terms

As a leading Continuing Care Retirement Community, Williamsburg Landing offers all of the services referenced below for the convenience of our residents. Unlike many other senior living options, when there is a change in your health status at Williamsburg Landing you won’t also have to change your address. Instead, you can continue to live in our beautiful campus among friends and familiar surroundings.

Key terms include:

• IL (INDEPENDENT LIVING) – Independent living is for retirement-age persons who have the ability to live independently, but desire companionship and social opportunities with others of a similar age. Independent living offers specific services, amenities and programs that cater to senior adults and promote active, healthy lifestyles for their retirement years.
• AL (ASSISTED LIVING) –Assisted living is a housing option for seniors who cannot live independently and need help with medications and activities of daily living (ADLs), such as bathing, grooming, eating, dressing and going to the bathroom.
• SNF (Skilled Nursing Facility) –A type of nursing care recognized by the Medicare and Medicaid systems as meeting long term health care needs for individuals who have the potential to function independently after a limited period of care. A multidisciplinary team guides health care and rehabilitative services, including skilled nursing care.
• STR (Short term-Rehabilitation) –Short-term rehabilitation facilities provide therapy for individuals recovering from a surgery, illness or accident. These programs help patients achieve their maximum functional capacity and safely return home in the shortest time possible. To achieve this goal, patients receive physical, occupational and speech therapy from compassionate and highly skilled therapists.
• HHC (Home Health Care) – Home health care helps older adults live independently for as long as possible, even with an illness or injury. It covers a wide range of services and can often delay the need for more supportive forms of housing, such as assisted living. Services frequently include occupational, physical and speech therapies as well as nursing care.
• MCAL (memory Care Assisted living) –Memory care assisted living, like you’ll find at Williamsburg Landing, provides specialized services and engagement activities for loved ones living with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. Staff members are specifically trained in caring for those with memory impairment.  Here, our resident’s care is offered in a safe, secure and separate homelike setting where residents enjoy the privacy of their own room, each containing an elegant memory box filled with their personal photos and mementos.
• LTC (LONG-TERM CARE) – This is the provision of medical, social and personal care services on a recurring or continuing basis to persons with chronic physical or mental disorders. The long-term care center at Williamsburg Landing provides extended nursing care in warm, welcoming and comfortable surroundings. Our goal is to make each resident feel at home.
• CCRC (CONTINUING CARE RETIREMENT COMMUNITY)– Also known as a Life Plan Community, a CCRC such as Williamsburg Landing offers the advantage of several living options and levels of assistance. These include independent living, home health care, assisted living, short-term rehabilitation/skilled nursing care, specialized memory care and long-term care. CCRCs typically offer written agreements between the resident and the community, which offer a continuum of housing, services and health care, all on one campus.

Your Trusted Resource for Retirement Living Information and Support

Adds Lisa Bates, “At Williamsburg Landing, we value our role as a resource for retirement age individuals and families. We invite you to view our weekly articles and tips, which address a variety of topics offering useful information and advice on retirement living issues. In addition, we’re always delighted to answer your questions and provide you with a tour of our beautiful campus!”