Definitions: C
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Calcium - is an element / mineral that is essential for bone development and maintenance, nerve impulse conduction, and general cellular function.
Cancer - is a class of diseases in which a group of cells display uncontrolled growth, intrusion on and destruction of adjacent tissues, and sometimes metastasis (spread to other locations in the body via lymph or blood). These three malignant properties of cancers differentiate them from benign tumors which are self-limited and do not invade or metastasize. Most cancers form a tumor but some, like leukemia, do not.
Capillary - the tiniest blood vessels with the smallest diameter.
Carbon Dioxide - (CO2) a colorless, odorless gas formed during respiration.
Cardiac - having to do with the heart.
Cardiac Arrest - a sudden stoppage of cardiac function, resulting in loss of effective circulation.
Cardiopulmonary - pertaining to the heart and lungs.
Care - (see also home care, home health care, hourly care, 24 hour care) the services rendered by members of the health professions for the benefit of a patient; as a legal term, the opposite of negligence.
Care Coordinator - one who coordinates care for another or self. If for themselves, care receiver and care coordinator are the same. CAREjourney.comSM uses this term to refer to the person who is actively using the site on behalf of themselves or others. You will sometimes see this abbreviated "CC".
Care Facility - a place where care is given to people who need help with activities of daily living.
Care Plan - is created based on a needs assessment that a professional administers to the person who requires care. A care plan details the individual's needs and lists ways to meet them. Care plans should be reassessed on an as-needed basis, or at least every few months. If using the services of a geriatric care manager (GCM), they will create a holistic care plan that addresses the person's health, cognitive, financial and social needs. Home health care plans typically only consider the client's medical needs and some personal preferences.
Care Receiver - a person who receives care from another. CAREjourney.comSM also uses this term to refer one type of membership. You may sometimes see this abbreviated as "CR".
Care Team- a team of health professionals and non-professionals usually chosen by the care coordinator, care receiver or a family caregiver for the purpose of improving the care receiver's quality of life. A care team is basically the same as a caregiving team however, sometimes caregiving team is used to refer to the non-professionals.
CAREaccountSM - is a collection of information for a CareGiver, Care Coordinator, Care Receiver or Agency once they have registered with CAREjourney.comSM that shows who they are, the type of account that has been created on the site, the subscription they have chosen (if any) and their status with the site.
CAREcommunitySM - is a reference to a collections of forums, blogs, story-sharing, support and expert advice on CAREjourney.comSM presented in a secure, friendly and inviting format. This is a great resource to have your questions answered or contribute your own experience and/or expertise to help someone else.
Caregiver- do you stop by your mom's place and drop off food or make her a few meals for the week? Do you balance your father's checkbook because he's been having trouble doing it himself? If you answered "yes," then you are a caregiver. Many people don't think of themselves as "caregivers" unless they help their loved one with activities of daily living (ADLs). However, these are definitely the actions of a caregiver. Caregivers are referred to as family caregivers when they are related to the individual to whom they provide care. A primary caregiver provides most or all of a person's needed care. A long-distance caregiver, as the name suggests, looks after an individual from a distance, which usually precludes frequent visits. Some long-distance caregivers rely on geriatric care managers (GCMs) to help with caregiving tasks. CAREjourney.comSM also uses this term to refer to one of it's membership types. You may also see this abbreviated as "CG".
Caregiver Burnout - a critical point when a caregiver is no longer able to effectively take care of his or her loved one. Although caregiver burnout applies to all caregivers, including professionals, the term is usually used in conjunction with family caregivers, who often juggle multiple responsibilities in addition to their caregiving duties. Early symptoms of caregiver burnout include mood fluctuations that resemble the symptoms of depression and feelings of anger, anxiety, sadness, irritability and exhaustion are common. Ironically, caregivers often forget to pay attention to their own medical and health needs, and, as a result, become less efficient at caregiving. Important caregiver resources include respite care and caregiver support groups.
CAREguestSM - is used sometimes to refer to a user of the site who has registered, but has not yet joinedCAREjourney.comSM. Not to be confused with a CAREvisitorSM, who is simply exploring the site and has not yet registered.
CAREjourney® - is a somewhat complicated and confusing set of CAREpathsSM that a Care Receiver and/or Care Coordinator encounters once a loved one is in need of care. Sometimes the CAREjourney is short. For example, a loved one is ill or has minor surgery and then they recover after a short period of time. A CAREjourney can be much longer as in the case of major surgery or a chronic illness. The path of a CAREjourney has many routes and decisions that the Care Receiver and/or Care Coordinator make determining which path is taken. Just one or perhaps many health professionals influence these decisions. A CAREjourney is very personal and at times emotional and all the tools, resources and counseling that is available should be used to help determine these decisions.
CAREjourney® Team - are the support staff at CAREjourney.comSM that help Caregivers, Care Receivers, Care Coordinators, Agencies and others to use the CAREjourney.com website to it's full potential and to receive feedback and answer questions to further develop the site and their knowledge of it.
CAREjourney.comSM - is a revolutionary website to assist you in finding care for your loved one. CAREjourney.com provides matching tools that offer peace of mind during the stressful time of searching for home care as well as a community of others in like situations to offer support. CAREjourney.com is not a home care agency, but rather a place for Care Coordinators, Care Receivers, CareGivers, Agencies and the CAREjourney Team to come together and help provide the best possible care relationship for everyone. You may sometimes see this abbreviated as "Cj" or "CJ".
CAREmatch - is the result of a request by a Care Receiver or Agency for a CareGiver in which the CAREjourney.comSM proprietary CAREmatch EngineSM sorts through, analyzes and ranks the CareGivers for the best match based on skills, experience, personality and hobbies.
CAREmatch EngineSM - is an "engine" or algorithm that is unique to CAREjourney.comSM that takes the results of Care Receiver and CareGiver CAREprofilesSM and sorts, analyzes and ranks the CareGivers based on the best match to the Care Receiver of skills, experience, personality and hobbies.
CAREmemberSM - is a CareGiver, Care Receiver or Agency who has decided to join CAREjourney.comSM and subscribe to its services. In the cases of a Care Receiver or Agency, there is a subscription fee. The service is free for CareGivers. You may see this abbreviated "CM or Cm".
CAREmessageSM - is a secure, internal message between CAREmembersSM. This can be used to facilitate interviewing, scheduling, notifications and general messaging where privacy and security are a concern.
CAREpathSM - these are the individual decisions or "paths" that make up a CAREjourney®. They can be as simple as deciding if Mom is ok to take outside one day or as complicated as CareGiver or surgery decisions.
CAREprofileSM - is a section of the CAREaccountSM that shows how you have answered the assessment questions. This can be changed at any time to produce different results when a CAREmatch has been requested and you would like to increase or decrease the number of matches. You may see this sometimes abbreviated as "CP or Cp".
CARErequestSM - a request from a Care Receiver or Care Coordinator to a CareGiver asking them to provide care.
CAREratingSM - is very similar to the product reviews you may have seen on many websites. A CareGiver is rated by their employer (the Care Receiver and/or Care Coordinator) based on how satisfied they are with the CareGiver's performance. All of these ratings are averaged and a Care Receiver will be able to see a CareGiver's rating when they are matched. The CareGiver will also be able to see their own rating to give them incentive to provide the best possible care.
CAREscheduleSM - is a simple way to keep track of when a Care Receiver needs care and when a CareGiver is available to give care. Once permission is given, both the CareGiver and Care Receiver can see their schedules and plan their weeks accordingly. Once a CareGiver is scheduled, the CareGiver can remove the indication that they are available on the scheduled days and the Care Receiver can remove their indication that they need care on those days as well. You may sometimes see this abbreviated as "CS or Cs."
CAREvisitorSM - is used sometimes to refer to a user of the site who has not yet registered to explore CAREjourney.comSM further. Not to be confused with CAREguestSM, who has taken the next step and registered to further explore the features of the site. You may see this abbreviated as "CV or Cv."
Cartilage - is a type of dense connective tissue.
Case Management - assessment, reassessment, determination of eligibility, development of a care plan, ongoing documentation, arranging client specific services, client monitoring, follow-up and linking the client with appropriate community services are just some of the duties of a case manager.
Celebrex - (see celecoxib)
Celecoxib- this medication is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), which relieves pain and swelling (inflammation). It is used to treat arthritis, acute pain, and menstrual pain and discomfort. The pain and swelling relief provided by this medication helps you perform more of your normal daily activities. Celecoxib is also used to decrease growths found in the intestines (colon polyps) of persons with a family history of this condition.
See also: Celecoxib on WebMD
Cells - the smallest living units of the body which group together to form tissues and help the body perform specific functions.
Central Nervous System - (CNS) the brain and spinal cord.
Cerebrovascular - having to do with the blood supply of the brain.
Certificate of Need - (CON) is a certificate issued by a government body to a health care provider who is proposing to construct, modify or expand a facility, or to offer new or different types of health care services. A CON is intended to prevent duplication of services and over-bedding. The certificate signifies that the change has been approved.
Certified - refers to the confirmation of certain characteristics of an object, person, or organization. This confirmation is often, but not always, provided by some form of external review, education, or assessment.
Certified Nursing Assistant - (CNA) provides personal care to residents or patients, such as bathing, dressing, changing linens, transporting and other essential activities. CNA's are trained, tested, certified and work under the supervision of an RN or LPN. CNA's are very common in home care and are very popular for this purpose due to their certification.
Charge Nurse - is an RN or LPN who is responsible for the supervision of a unit within a nursing facility. The charge nurse schedules and supervises nursing staff and provides care to facility residents.
Chart - a document that includes relevant data, records and reports of a person's medical history.
Chemical - a substance composed of chemical elements, or obtained by chemical processes.
Chemotherapy - treatment of cancer with drugs that kill cancer cells.
Chest - part of the body between the neck and the abdomen, enclosed by the ribs and the breastbone.
Chest Compressions - a technique used during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
Child Day Care- caring for and supervising a child/children by someone other than the parent or guardian. In the context of caregiving, this care is usually given to an ill child or one with special needs.
Chronic - a persistent and lasting disease or medical condition, or one that has developed slowly.
Chronic Bronchitis - (see COPD)
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease - (COPD) refers to chronic bronchitis and emphysema, a pair of two commonly co-existing diseases of the lungs in which the airways become narrowed. This leads to a limitation of the flow of air to and from the lungs causing shortness of breath. In contrast to asthma, the limitation of airflow is poorly reversible and usually gets progressively worse over time.
Churg-Strauss Syndrome - (also known as allergic granulomatosis) is a medium and small vessel autoimmune vasculitis, leading to necrosis. It involves mainly the blood vessels of the lungs (it begins as a severe type of asthma), gastrointestinal system, and peripheral nerves, but also affects the heart, skin and kidneys. It is a rare disease that is non-inheritable, non-transmissible and often mis-diagnosed.
Circulation - the movement of blood through the heart and blood vessels.
Clergy - people ordained for religious service.
Client - often used in place of "patient" because no medical care is administered during home care. It is widely used by caregivers, social workers and other health professionals to indicate the person receiving non-medical care.
Coccyx - commonly referred to as the tailbone, is the final segment of the human spine, of four fused vertebrae (the coccygeal vertebrae) below the sacrum.
Code of Conduct - (or code) is a set of rules outlining the responsibilities of or proper practices for an individual or organization.
Coeliac Disease - (also called celiac disease) is an autoimmune disorder of the small intestine that occurs in genetically predisposed people of all ages from middle infancy on up. Symptoms include chronic diarrhea, failure to thrive (in children), and fatigue, but these may be absent, and symptoms in other organ systems have been described. Coeliac disease is caused by a reaction to a gluten protein found in wheat, barley and rye.
Cognitive Ability - refers to the ability to process information, apply knowledge, and change preferences.
Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities - (CARF) their mission is to provide accreditation standards and surveyors for organizations working in the human services field worldwide.
Commode Assist- (sometimes called toilet assist) is a form of standby assist while the care receiver is toileting. At a minimum this would involve assistance with sitting and standing and may include assistance with personal hygiene.
Communicable - (see contagious)
Community - in the context of home care, it refers to any living facility housing people in need of care.
Community Services - the Office of Community Services (OCS) mission as stated on its website is to "work in partnership with states, communities, and other agencies to provide a range of human and economic development services and activities which ameliorate the causes and characteristics of poverty and otherwise assist persons in need." The goal of OCS services and programs is to help individuals and families become self-sufficient and to revitalize communities throughout the United States.
Companion Care - non-medical care, supervision and socialization to a person in need of care. Companions may assist the care receiver with meal preparation, laundry and shopping. Companions may also perform light housekeeping tasks such as vacuuming, dusting, light mopping, light dish washing, changing light bulbs, etc. This service may also be used for extended periods, over eight hours, for supervision when other services are not available.
Companions - companions provide in-home care and companionship for people who are capable of independent living. While companions do not provide medical care, they may perform household chores such as cooking and cleaning, and/or transportation and errands.
Complication - the occurrence of a second disease as a consequence of the first.
Compound - made up of two or more parts or ingredients.
Concentration - the amount of a specified substance in a unit amount of another substance.
Confinement - the act of restraining of a person's ability to move about.
Congestive Heart Failure - (CHF) is a term for the physiological state in which cardiac output is insufficient for the body's needs.
Congregate Housing - (see Independent Living, may be also referred to as supportive housing).
Conscious - having awareness of one's self, acts, and surroundings.
Conservatorship - a "conservator" may be appointed to manage the individual's property and business affairs only if a court determines that the person is unable to manage his property for reasons such as mental illness, mental deficiency, physical illness or disability, advanced age, chronic use of drugs, chronic intoxication, confinement, detention by a foreign power or disappearance; and the person has property that will be wasted or dissipated unless proper management is provided, or that funds are needed for the support, care and welfare of the person or those entitled to be supported by him and that protection is necessary and desirable to obtain or provide funds.
Contagious - transmissible by direct or indirect contact; communicable.
Contaminate - to make impure or unclean by contact or mixture.
Continuing Care Accreditation Commission - (CCAC) is the nation's only accreditation program for CCRCs. The commission accredits communities meeting strict criteria in the areas of finance, governance and administration, resident life and health care.
Continuing Care Retirement Community - (CCRC) is housing planned and operated to provide a continuum of housing and services for seniors including, but not limited to, independent living, congregate housing, assisted living, and skilled nursing care. A CCRC resident contract often involves either an entry fee or buy-in fee in addition to the monthly service charges, which may change according to the medical services required. Entry fees may be partially or fully refundable. The fee is used primarily as a method of privately financing the development of the project and for payment for future healthcare. CCRCs are typically licensed by the state. See also Life Care Community. A CCRC combines residential accommodations with health services. The purpose of a CCRC is to allow residents to receive the appropriate care across a continuum, from independent living to assisted living and skilled nursing care, as their needs change, without having to leave the retirement community. This ensures that residents will be cared for through end-of-life.
Continuum - is a continuous extent, succession, or whole, no part of which can be distinguished from neighboring parts. In the context of care, it usually refers to a continuum of care in which there is not "gap" in the care needs.
Continuum of Care - is a full spectrum of care available at Continuing Care Retirement Communities which may include Independent Living, Assisted Living, Nursing Care, Home Health, Home Care, and Home and Community Based Services.
Contraction - a drawing together; a shortening or shrinkage.
Convalescence - ia a gradual return to health and strength after an illness, an injury, or a surgical procedure.
Convulsion - is an involuntary contraction or series of contractions of the voluntary muscles.
Cope - to deal successfully with difficulties and act to overcome them.
Cost of Living - is the average cost of the basic necessities of life, such as food, housing, and clothing.
Counselor - a human services professional who deals with human development concerns through support, therapeutic approaches, consultation, evaluation, teaching, and research.
CPR - (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) uses rescue breathing and chest compressions to help a person whose breathing and heartbeat have stopped.
Creatine - an amino acid in tissues, particularly in muscle.
Creatinine - The metabolized by-product of creatine, an organic acid that assists the body in producing muscle contractions. Creatinine is found in the bloodstream and in muscle tissue. It is removed from the blood by the kidneys and excreted in the urine.
Cremation - the act of burning a deceased body completely; reducing it to ashes.
Criteria IndicatorSM - is a graphic used by CAREjourney.comSM to indicate whether a CareGiver has met the background criteria.
These definitions are from sources deemed reliable but you should independently verify their accuracy.
If you click a link, you can go back by clicking your browser's back button or by pressing Alt, left arrow.
See a correction? Want us to add a definition? Tell us here.
Sources:
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/
http://www.webmd.com/
