Home Health Care Glossary

This glossary is to help our home health care community better understand the terms used in relation to care. Please book mark this page for future reference or download our printable version HERE.



Activity of Daily Living (ADL) Activities of daily living refer to an individual's daily habits. ADLs are often used to help determine an individual's ability to function at home or another less-restricted environment of care. Examples of ADLs include bathing, dressing, eating, moving around, using the bathroom, and walking.
Adult nursing Adult nursing is a BAYADA Home Health Care specialty practice. It refers to care provided by registered or licensed practical nurses at home for adults and seniors dealing with chronic illness, injury, or disability. These services are provided primarily on an ongoing shift basis (two hours or more), and are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This care is also sometimes referred to as private duty or adult skilled nursing. Click here for more information on adult nursing
Advance directives Advance directives are instructions that an individual has prepared in the event they become terminally ill and unable to communicate their wishes. The instructions generally regard the type and duration of life-sustaining treatment that they desire. They are typically prepared documents, such as a living will and durable power of attorney.
Ambulation Ambulation refers to the ability to walk from place to place independently with or without assistive devices.
Assistive Care The assistive care practice is the first specialty practice of BAYADA Home Health Care. Its services include assistance with activities of daily living (ADL) and household support services for adults and seniors. These services are provided primarily on an ongoing shift basis (two hours or more) by home health aides, certified nursing assistants, homemakers, and companions. They are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Click here for more information on assistive care
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a group of developmental disabilities that can cause significant social, communicative, and behavioral changes. ASD is a spectrum disorder because it affects different people in different ways and can range from mild to severe. People with ASD share similar symptoms, such as experiencing problems with social interaction. There are differences based on when the symptoms start and their severity.