Professional Glossary
Select a category or use the search bar to locate terms used on the Later Life LivingTM website.
legal
Legal
Estate Planning Attorneys
Estate planning attorneys create a lasting legacy for you by anticipating, and arranging for, the management of their estate during their life and afterward. Having an estate plan can minimize family conflict as well as taxes, while also maximizing public and private benefits to pay for care.
These lawyers may also want you to include a durable power of attorney, health care and other advance directives as part of your estate plan to protect you as you grow older.
Probate Attorneys
The probate process determines the validity of a will after a loved one has died. If there is no will, the probate court will use state law to determine who your beneficiaries are and what each will receive. That means your legacy is in the court's hands, and often magnifies any existing family conflicts.
Probate can become a very expensive and drawn-out process, and a probate lawyer will focus on getting your estate settled as swiftly and respectfully as possible. You can protect your legacy and avoid probate by having assets you own in a living trust.
Trust & Trust Administration Attorneys
Trust attorneys focus on protecting your assets during your life and preserving your legacy afterward by creating a trust, often known as a living trust. Your trust helps ensure that your real estate, personal property and accounts transfer smoothly to your beneficiaries. It also serves to avoid the long process of probate because assets in a trust generally pass through directly to its new trustee (called a successor trustee).
If a trust administration attorney has been named as the trustee, they take on your trust's fiduciary role. They are required to manage all the assets in a trust in a financially responsible way. Not all trust attorneys perform trust administration, so be sure to ask about this.
Elder Law and Elder Abuse
Elder Abuse & Fraud Attorneys
Elder abuse attorneys tackle the all-too-frequent financial and/or physical abuse that older adults may suffer. There can be a variety of legal issues involved that need to be thoroughly examined.
These attorneys can explain your rights when possible claims arise. These attorneys often specialize in either physical abuse or financial fraud so be sure to ask about their practice's focus.
Elder Law & Elder Care Attorneys
Elder law attorneys assist older adults with the unique legal concerns of later life, including matters related to housing needs and long-term care. They can prepare you for future long-term care needs and, when the times comes, assist you with obtaining Medicare and MediCal coverage.
These attorneys are often better equipped to handle the sensitive emotional and physical needs of their older adult clients. Elder law attorneys sometimes represent guardians and conservators as well.
Family Law Attorneys
Family law focuses on family-related issues such as divorce, domestic difficulties and child custody, among others. These attorneys can represent clients in court proceedings, negotiations and also draft important legal documents.
Because family law matters often involve intense emotion, having experienced legal support can help ensure you or your loved ones are protected and well-represented throughout a very difficult process.
Tax Law Attorneys
A tax attorney is uniquely equipped to handle legal tax matters and other tax-related issues. This includes estate taxes, settling back taxes and negotiating with the IRS.
If you or your estate is audited, they can put all the facts together for your defense, and can represent you to try to lower the amount of taxes owed.
Professional Fiduciaries / Fiduciary Services
A fiduciary is entrusted with making financial, legal and/or medical decisions on behalf of someone who is incapacitated or can’t make sound decisions regarding their own well-being. Fiduciaries are legally bound to protect their client’s mental and physical well-being, and to make decisions solely in their client’s best interest.
A professional fiduciary can also serve as a trustee, executor or conservator. They can serve as your agent under your power of attorney. In some instances, people who make financial, legal, or medical decisions on your behalf, such as an attorney or a bank’s trust department, may also have a fiduciary duty.
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Care & Wellness
Patient Support & Care
Aging Life Specialists, also known as Geriatric Care Managers (GCMs), work with later life adults and others with health challenges to ensure their safety and well-being. These trained specialists form a long-term care plan and pull together the necessary resources to fulfill their client’s needs.
GCM’s can coordinate doctors' appointments and can accompany you or your loved one. They explain in simpler terms what medical terms mean. For the families of older adults, they can also provide answers to questions about their loved one’s comfort and overall well-being.
Aging Life Specialists / Geriatric Care Managers
Aging Life Specialists, also known as Geriatric Care Managers (GCMs), work with later life adults and others with health challenges to ensure their safety and well-being. These trained specialists form a long-term care plan and pull together the necessary resources to fulfill their client’s needs.
GCMs can coordinate doctors' appointments and can accompany you or your loved one. They explain in simpler terms what medical terms mean. For the families of older adults, they can also provide answers to questions about their loved one’s comfort and overall well-being.
Geriatric Psychiatrists
Geriatric psychiatry, a subspecialty of psychiatry, focuses on the prevention, diagnoses and treatment of mental and emotional disorders related to the later years of life. These conditions include various forms of dementia, depression, anxiety disorders, and substance addictions.
These medical professionals also address family concerns and issues, as well as the older adults’ living environments, and possible co-existing illnesses.
Home Caregivers
A caregiver makes life much easier on older adults and their families by ensuring the health and safety of you or your loved one. Support can include respite care, housekeeping, personal care, medication pickup and/or reminders, meal preparation, transportation and other services based on each client’s individual needs, preferences, and circumstances.
They usually work in people’s homes but caregivers sometimes provide individual support in older adult communities. Though it can be a serious investment, good caregivers ease the pain of their aging clients and make their remaining years more comfortable and content than they otherwise might have been.
Hospice Care
Hospice provides vital support, guidance and so much more when the end of life may be 6 months away or less. Hospice care focuses on easing their patient’s pain and suffering, both physically and emotionally. It’s also a gift to families and caregivers, offering solace and understanding during a very difficult time.
What you may not realize is that sometimes people on hospice may go off it. There are those who go into remission or whose health improves to the extent that they're able to go off hospice.
Senior Centers & Support Groups
Because social isolation is associated with an increased risk of dementia, later life support groups represent an excellent way to meet new people and try new activities. It’s an opportunity that can provide joy and healthier years to the lives of all involved.
Later life or “senior” support groups are a good way to socialize, get out of the house, and be around like-minded individuals. These groups differ from one another, and focus on different topics and activities so you can find one that’s best for who you are.
Recovery Therapies
Occupational Therapists
Occupational therapy focuses on enabling patients to take part in everyday life activities. Practitioners enable older adults and people of all ages to live life to its fullest by helping them promote a healthy and engaged lifestyle, despite injury, illness, or disability.
Physical Therapists
The goal of a physical therapist (PT) is to use exercises, stretches and other therapies to improve your ability to move and to reduce or manage your pain. While many PTs work in physical therapy facilities, there are also those who can work with you in your home.
Physical therapists treat those recuperating from injuries or surgery, have age-related ailments or other health conditions that can benefit from prescribed exercise and hands-on care.
Recreational Therapists
Recreational therapists provide engagement and companionship services so their older adult clients continue to have an enriched life. Their training and skills focus on bolstering one's physical well-being, as well as their client's cognitive, emotional, and social abilities.
A recreational therapist enhances their client's happiness and engagement through a personalized plan that can include museum visits, sporting events, shopping trips, and other activities you or your loved one enjoys.
Home Environment
Hoarding Specialists
People who hoard have persistent difficulty parting with or discarding possessions, even when those items are damaged or beyond repair. They become distressed even at the thought of getting rid of their belongings, no matter how vast the quantity or regardless of their actual value.
Professional hoarding specialists have the training and expertise to support them properly. They understand the emotional challenges of their clients, and work with them to alleviate the cramped and sometimes dangerous living conditions.
Photo and Media Organizers
A professional photo organizer brings order to all the printed and digital images we collect over our lifetimes. They sort and catalogue photos and other media to curate the visual stories of their clients. Many also create both physical and online scrapbooks so the entire family can enjoy them.
Photo and media digitizers can create a digital copy of your images. If a photo is damaged, often this kind of professional can adjust and improve it for you.
Professional Organizers
Professional organizers downsize, declutter and set up systems to bring order to life and provide clarity. They make sure a home functions and supports how you or your loved one want to live.
Some organizers offer a wide variety of services, while others specialize in creating functional closets and garages, bookkeeping services, and improving productivity.
Senior and Specialty Move Managers
A senior move manager specializes in managing the treasures of a lifetime when an older adult needs to move, often from a home they've lived in for decades. A move manager takes into account the emotional as well as the physical aspects of moving because this big shift deeply affects everyone in a family.
Their services generally include floor planning, downsizing, unpacking and setting up the new home, as well as coordinating with moving companies and other third-party vendors. Senior move managers can also clear the former home following the move, or after someone has passed.
Personal Services
Fitness / Exercise Instructors
Fitness instructors for active older adults lead their clients in enjoyable and beneficial exercise sessions that take your current health and fitness level into account.
Whether done for individuals or in small groups, fitness instructors and trainers promote the development of an overall lifestyle that is both safe and energetic.
Nutritionists
A nutritionist's expertise focuses on the impact of different kinds of food on the health and vitality of their clients. Following an assessment, a nutritionist can plan menus and recommend good foods for your well-being. They also provide advice you on the health effects of what you're eating.
Their knowledge of how different kinds of food work within the body is especially helpful for those with special needs, allergies, health problems, or a desire for increased energy or weight change.
Pet Care
When one has a pet as an older adult, it may be difficult to exercise and care for them regularly. A professional pet sitter can provide daily care, including feeding, grooming and picking up after them. A dog walker specializes in making sure your canine gets exercise on a consistent basis.
These pet caretakers are especially necessary when a pet owner has a health emergency that involves a prolonged stay at a hospital or skilled nursing facility.
End Of Life
Hospice Care
Hospice provides vital support, guidance and so much more when the end of life may be 6 months away or less. Hospice care focuses on easing their patient’s pain and suffering, both physically and emotionally. It’s also a gift to families and caregivers, offering solace and understanding during a very difficult time.
What you may not realize is that sometimes people on hospice may go off it. There are those who go into remission or whose health improves to the extent that they're able to go off hospice.
Mortuaries & Funeral Homes
Both funeral homes and mortuaries are where those who’ve passed are prepared for burial or cremation. A funeral director is on staff to help coordinate wakes and funerals at a funeral home, and they’re often trained in grief counseling.
Mortuaries tend to be more focused on the science of preparing those deceased, often offering onsite cremation services. Funeral homes usually have more ways to offer additional comforts for a grieving family.
communities
Communities
Assisted Living Communities
Assisted living communities offer personalized care and as much independence as possible for those who need support for one or more everyday activities. Residents live in their own private apartments and enjoy a healthy lifestyle with lots of social activities.
Since most assisted living communities provide meals, laundry and occasion housekeeping, residents can leave many daily chores behind. It’s not uncommon for these communities to have areas specifically for those with dementia.
Board and Care Homes
Board and care homes are an ideal setting for those who with advanced dementia, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, or others needing a great deal of daily care because of their high staff-to-resident ratio. Board and care homes are usually converted family houses in residential neighborhoods licensed to provide care to four to six residents.
All meals, activities and supervision are provided by the staff, as is medication monitoring. Most board and cares have been modified with aging in mind, including wheelchair accessible bathrooms, ramps and lift-assist devices installed.
Communities with Dementia Care
Some board and care homes specifically attend to those with dementia. Assisted living communities and continuing care retirement communities sometimes have areas within their communities available for residents needing memory care.
Even people with early-stage dementia may require specialized support and care. As the disease progresses, those with dementia can have sudden mood shifts that may, on occasion, become violent. They may frequently lose vital items (wallets, keys, cell phones, etc.) and/or – worst of all – go “wandering.” It can take days to locate people who’ve wandered. These situations can exhaust family caregivers, which is why communities with dementia are so vital.
Continuing Care Retirement Communities
Residents of continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs) can live there throughout all phases of later life. Because CCRCs provide multiple care levels, from independent living to full care accommodations, you don’t need to move elsewhere when you need additional support and assistance.
Offering a wide range of services and living situations in one place can help create a sense of stability and security as abilities and health conditions shift through the years.
Independent Living / Active Adult Communities
Independent living communities and active adult/55+ living communities are designed for those who want to enjoy the second half of their lives alongside others like them. Accommodations can range from apartments to single-family homes and provide good security. Community events, floor plans and modifications cater to those with life experience and often include common areas to gather, such as outdoor pools, craft rooms and large patios for gatherings.
Some of these communities make life easier for their older adults by minimizing their daily responsibilities, such as cooking meals, doing laundry and home maintenance. Unlike assisted living, though, independent living communities don’t provide medical care or assistance with daily activities.
Placement Agencies / Residential Referral Services
A placement agency or residential referral service help older adult clients and their families by determining which later life living communities can meet their physical and social needs with knowledgeable care and compassion. Many variables must be considered when searching for the right place to enjoy one’s later years.
From independent living to dementia care, With all the choices available, figuring out which community would be the best fit takes considerable time and effort. A sudden need can make it that much more challenging. Those who do placement are also aware of pricing variables, complaints, resident-to-staff ratios and can help you negotiate with your chosen community to ensure that the correct level of care will be provided. Best of all, their services are free to the client.
Skilled Nursing Facilities / Nursing Homes
Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs) offer 24-hour skilled nursing care in hospital-like settings. Trained medical professionals, such as registered and licensed vocation nurses, provide the high-level of care required. SNFs present a temporary abode for their patients, whereas nursing homes are permanent residences for people who need 24/7 care. Most licensed SNFs based in California are certified to accept Medicare and Medi-Cal.
SNFs provide round-the-clock assistance with healthcare and activities of daily living for those requiring in-patient rehabilitation and medical treatment.
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Real Estate & Moving Services
Aging-in-Place Specialists / Home Modification Contractors
Aging-in-place specialists and contractors make home environments safer and more accessible for older adults. These adaptations and modifications can help maintain independence so you or a loved one can remain at home for as long as possible.
These professionals use the concepts of universal design and provide modifications to make the home safer, more comfortable and easier to navigate. In addition to eliminating trip hazards and other obstacles, these adjustments can include ramps, adjustments to the bathroom and kitchen and/or stair lifts.
Downsizing / Right-Sizing
Hoarding Specialists
People who hoard have persistent difficulty parting with or discarding possessions, even when those items are damaged or beyond repair. They become distressed even at the thought of getting rid of their belongings, no matter how vast the quantity or regardless of their actual value.
Professional hoarding specialists have the training and expertise to support them properly. They understand the emotional challenges of their clients, and work with them to alleviate the cramped and sometimes dangerous living conditions.
Photo and Media Organizers
A professional photo organizer brings order to all the printed and digital images we collect over our lifetimes. They sort and catalogue photos and other media to curate the visual stories of their clients. Many also create both physical and online scrapbooks so the entire family can enjoy them.
Photo and media digitizers can create a digital copy of your images. If a photo is damaged, often this kind of professional can adjust and improve it for you.
Professional Organizers
Professional organizers downsize, declutter and set up systems to bring order to life and provide clarity. They make sure a home functions and supports how you or your loved one want to live.
Some organizers offer a wide variety of services, while others specialize in creating functional closets and garages, bookkeeping services, and improving productivity.
Senior and Specialty Move Managers
A senior move manager specializes in managing the treasures of a lifetime when an older adult needs to move, often from a home they've lived in for decades. A move manager takes into account the emotional as well as the physical aspects of moving because this big shift deeply affects everyone in a family.
Their services generally include floor planning, downsizing, unpacking and setting up the new home, as well as coordinating with moving companies and other third-party vendors. Senior move managers can also clear the former home following the move, or after someone has passed.
Estate Dispersal
Appraisers
Appraisers provide objective and unbiased assessments of the value of specific kinds of property. Appraisals are often needed for estate tax, asset division and/or insurance purposes.
Appraisers often have areas of specialization, such as fine art, specific collections, real estate or general personal property. In order for an item or property to be properly appraised, an in-person inspection is required.
Auction Houses / Online Auctions
In an auction, potential buyers place competitive bids on items available for sale, and the highest bid gets the item. Auctions can be held in-person or online, and are convened at one's home, at an auction house and/or online.
Some auction companies specialize in certain types of objects, such as artwork, furniture, certain media or cars. Auction houses and companies are commission-based, and so will take a portion of the overall total sales.
Estate Sales Companies
Many estate sales take place when there is a need to sell items due to downsizing, moving, or someone’s passing. Estate sales can be a useful way of liquidating and clearing out a home when that's necessary.
This helps get the home ready for sale, and is usually much larger than a simple yard or garage sale. Estate sales companies are commission-based, and so will take a portion of the overall total sales.
Haul Away
Haul away services become necessary when a home is cleared out to make it ready for sale or lease. These companies load their truck with discarded items and remove them from the premises. They usually charge by load and adjust their rates for a partial load.
Hoarding Specialists
People who hoard have persistent difficulty parting with or discarding possessions, even when those items are damaged or beyond repair. They become distressed even at the thought of getting rid of their belongings, no matter how vast the quantity or regardless of their actual value.
Professional hoarding specialists have the training and expertise to support them properly. They understand the emotional challenges of their clients, and work with them to alleviate the cramped and sometimes dangerous living conditions.
Home and Estate Inventories
A home inventory provides a record of all belongings – furniture, artwork, knick-knacks, tools, kitchen items, etc. - contained within a home or estate. Sometimes only photographs are needed. But full and precise documentation from a neutral professional are often required when there is a dispute over these items.
You may need and/or require a professional home inventory for the following: division of an estate after someone has passed, divorce proceedings, for insurance policies, marital (pre- or post-nuptial) agreements and following (or before) a disaster such as an earthquake, fire or theft.
Senior and Specialty Move Managers
A senior move manager specializes in managing the treasures of a lifetime when an older adult needs to move, often from a home they've lived in for decades. A move manager takes into account the emotional as well as the physical aspects of moving because this big shift deeply affects everyone in a family.
Their services generally include floor planning, downsizing, unpacking and setting up the new home, as well as coordinating with moving companies and other third-party vendors. Senior move managers can also clear the former home following the move, or after someone has passed.
Moving and Transportation Companies
A moving company, or van line, transports furniture, artwork and household goods from one place to another. These companies’ services include loading things out from one’s current home, then transporting and unloading all those boxes and items at their destination. There are also movers who have storage facilities as well.
Some companies only handle moves within a set local area. If you need to move across the country, make sure to ask whether they have experience with interstate moves. An international move requires careful documentation and handling, so you'll want to choose a company that has the background and proven know-how to handle your move as smoothly as possible.
Property Management
Property management firms oversee and handle the day-to-day operations of real estate on behalf of the owner. They often handle income properties but they can also take care of an older adult's home when they aren't able to.
Property managers schedule regular maintenance, repairs, landscaping and, when necessary, manage tenants to preserve the property’s value.
Realtors (Certified Senior Real Estate Specialists)
Realtors subscribe to the Code of Ethics of the National Association of Realtors, and are a necessity when it's time to sell or buy a home. They take care of marketing your home, manage the house tours, and then negotiate the price on your behalf.
Realtors who are a part of Later Life Living are also required to be Certified Senior Real Estate Specialists (SRES). This additional education ensures that they understand the needs, requirements and tax implications when older adults sell or buy a home.
Senior and Specialty Move Managers
A senior move manager specializes in managing the treasures of a lifetime when an older adult needs to move, often from a home they've lived in for decades. A move manager takes into account the emotional as well as the physical aspects of moving because this big shift deeply affects everyone in a family.
Their services generally include floor planning, downsizing, unpacking and setting up the new home, as well as coordinating with moving companies and other third-party vendors. Senior move managers can also clear the former home following the move, or after someone has passed.
Storage Facilities
Storage facilities rent units such as rooms, lockers or containers, on a short- or long-term basis. These units usually range from 5' x 5' to 10' x 30', and some storage facilities offer units that are climate-controlled.
Storage companies usually charge month-to-month for safekeeping of furniture, artwork and other items. Some moving companies offer storage space in addition to their relocation services.
Home Safety & Management
Aging in Place Specialists & Home Modification Contractors
Aging-in-place specialists and contractors adapt older adults’ current homes so they can remain there and maintain their independence during their later years. In addition to eliminating trip hazards and other obstacles, these adjustments can include ramps, adjustments to the bathroom and kitchen and/or stair lifts.
These professionals use the concepts of universal design and provide modifications to make the home safer, more comfortable and easier to navigate.
Property Management
Property management firms oversee and handle the day-to-day operations of real estate on behalf of the owner. They often handle income properties but they can also take care of an older adult's home when they aren't able to.
Property managers schedule regular maintenance, repairs, landscaping and, when necessary, manage tenants to preserve the property’s value.
Cleaning / Cleanup Services
Cleaning Services
In addition to dusting, tidying and scouring bathrooms, cleaning services also remove the grime and dirt from hard-to-reach areas - behind and under kitchen, laundry and other large appliances, as well as furniture and rugs.
These companies can also be hired to perform a deep cleaning when, for example, a home hasn't been lived in for some time.
Severe Clean Up / Vermin & Pest Removal
When a property contains hazards such as vermin, insect infestations or toxins, specialized removal services may be required. Many companies that perform clean-outs don't also perform vermin and/or insect removal, so a severe situation may require more than one company.
These companies often become involved in hoarding situations, and are generally required to wear full personal protective equipment (PPE) due to safety concerns.
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Finances & Insurance
Certified Public Accountants
A Certified Public Accountant (CPA) provides expert tax advisory and compliance services. They prepare tax forms, including those for estate taxes, and oversee audits when necessary.
While all CPAs are accountants, not all accountants are CPAs. A certified public accountant has met specific state and education licensing requirements and passed the CPA exam.
Daily Money Managers
Daily money managers (DMMs) provide day-to-day management of personal finances for their clients. They manage bill payments, bookkeeping, insurance claims, track expenses, and keep an eye out for potential fraud.
Having a daily money manager not only eases the stress for older adults, but also provides peace of mind for their families.
Financial Planners
In consultation with you, a financial planner creates a plan to help manage your budget and achieve your monetary goals. They assess your current situation and find out what you want your money to provide for you.
Your customized plan will take into account your wants, needs and goals, and often identify investments that might be suitable to help you take care of them.
Reverse Mortgages
Reverse mortgages are available to homeowners 62 and older who want to sustain and enhance their later years. This kind of loan enables them to access the equity in their homes by borrowing against its value.
A reverse mortgage doesn’t require any loan payments. Rather, the entire loan balance becomes due and payable when the borrower passes or sells the home. They can receive these funds as a lump sum, fixed monthly payment or a line of credit.
Insurance
Life Insurance
A life insurance policy pays a specific amount, known as a “death benefit,” to the beneficiaries following the policy holder’s passing. The funds can usually be used for any purpose, including funeral expenses. A life insurance policy can sometimes include long-term care insurance, too.
Depending on how the life insurance policy is written, other events such as a terminal illness can trigger a payout, or sometimes the policy is disbursed after a set period of time. Certain life insurance policies may also include long-term insurance.
Long-Term Care Insurance
Long-term care (LTC) insurance covers a variety of care options for older adults, especially if they have a chronic condition such as dementia that requires regular supervision. Covered benefits can include skilled nursing care, home health care, and personal or adult daycare.
A long-term care insurance policy can sometimes include life insurance. It's best to purchase LTC insurance when you’re young and healthy to keep premiums low.
Medicare / MediCal
Insurance brokers and some attorneys specialize in helping their clients understand and access their Medicare and Medi-Cal benefits. Medicare is a federally-funded insurance program for eligible participants 65 or over. It does not cover 100% of all costs and you may wish to purchase additional Medicare-related insurance to augment what’s offered.
California's Medi-Cal health program is the state's equivalent of Medicaid. MediCal is a secondary insurance that closes the gaps in Medicare coverage and provides additional benefits, especially for those with limited income and resources.