Did You Know?

Some of the terminology used for talking about senior housing and services can be confusing if you’re not familiar with the variety of options now available, especially here at St. Mark’s. We favor terms that align with our commitment to honoring every individual’s choices as we serve them along a continuum of care as their wants and needs evolve.

  • Retirement home — a common name for what we call an Independent Living community, where care services are not needed, and residents live in a private apartment with full community amenities and private parking
  • Nursing home or rest home — throw-back names for what we call a Long-Term Care community, where licensed nurses are available and attending to individuals in our care regularly 24/7.
  • Assisted Living versus nursing home — an assisted living community offers residents a private apartment home with kitchenette, meal plan, private bathroom and a customized care plan with regularly scheduled visits from an on-site
  • Assisted Living versus Long-Term Care — an assisted living community offers residents a private apartment home with kitchenette, meal plan, private bathroom and a customized care plan with regularly scheduled visits from an on-site expert care team, whereas a Long-Term Care community offers a room, meal plan and 24/7 care from an on-site expert care team expert care team, whereas a nursing home (or Long-Term Care community) offers a meal plan and 24/7 care from an on-site expert care team
  • Assisted Living versus Memory Care — an assisted living community offers residents a private apartment home with kitchenette, meal plan, private bathroom and a customized care plan with regularly scheduled visits from an on-site expert care team, whereas a memory care community offers individuals experiencing Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia a private room in a safe and secure environment supervised 24/7 by experts in dementia care
  • Assisted Living versus Home Care — assisted living refers to a senior housing and services community that offers residents a customized care plan with regularly scheduled visits from an on-site expert care tea, whereas home care refers to any number of care services and supportive services that are brought to you in your home by experts, whether you’re living in a private home or independent living community.
  • Assisted Living versus Home Care — assisted living refers to a senior housing and services community that offers residents a customized care plan with regularly scheduled visits from an on-site expert care tea, whereas home care refers to any number of care services and supportive services that are brought to you in your home by experts, whether you’re living in a private home or independent living community.
  • Skilled nursing facility — a common name for what we call a long-term care community, which is more descriptive of the experience for individuals in our care and the expert care teams who engage with them daily
  • Rehab or Rehabilitation facility — a common name for what we call Short-Term Transitional Care, where individuals recovering from a procedure, surgery or injury have stay in-patient for convenient access to experts from a range of disciplines, including physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, social work, and nutrition

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