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PACE (Program for All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly)
PACE (Program for All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly) are programs that serve individuals with long-term care needs by providing access to the entire continuum of health care services, including preventive, primary, acute and long-term care. A basic tenet of the PACE philosophy is that it is better for both the senior with long-term care needs and the healthcare system to focus on keeping the individual living as independently as possible in the community for as long as possible.

Palliative Care
Palliative Care is the focus of care on quality of life, not on treatment or cure. Control of pain and other physical symptoms, and psychological, social and spiritual problems is considered most important. A major focus of Hospice care is Palliative Care. See also Hospice.

Parkinson's Disease
Parkinson's Disease is a chronic, progressive disorder of the central nervous system. Parkinson's is the direct result of the loss of cells in a section of the brain called the substantia nigra. Those cells produce dopamine, a chemical messenger responsible for transmitting signals within the brain. Loss of dopamine causes critical nerve cells in the brain, or neurons, to fire out of control, leaving patients unable to direct or control their movement in a normal manner. Symptoms include tremors, stiffness in limbs and joints, speech impediments, and difficulty in initiating physical movement.

Patient Assessment
Patient Assessment or called resident assessment is standardized tool that enables senior housing facilities to determine a patient's abilities, what assistance the patient needs and ways to help the patient improve or regain abilities. Patient assessment forms are completed using information gathered from medical records, discussions with the patient and family members and direct observation. See also Assessment

Patient-Controlled Analgesia (PCA)
Patient-Controlled Analgesia (PCA) is pain medication given through an IV or epidural catheter. Patients control the dose of medication they take, depending on how much is needed to control the pain. PCA is usually used for patients recovering from intra-abdominal, major orthopedic, or thoracic surgery, and for chronic pain states, such as those due to cancer.

Peripheral Nervous System
Peripheral Nervous System are the nerves throughout the body that send messages to the central nervous system.

Personal Care Assistance
Personal Care Assistance is providing hands-on assistance, standby assistance, supervision or verbal cues for someone who is having difficulty with activities of daily living necessary for self-care such as eating, bathing, dressing, toileting, taking medications, grooming, ambulation, transferring, changing positions, and other tasks.

Personal Health Record
Personal Health Record is a regularly updated collection of important health information. If you have dementia or are caring for someone with dementia, a health record will help you work with your care team.

Personal Historian
A Personal Historian assists individuals and groups record and preserve their life stories, memoirs and histories. The Personal Historian has the skills to interview, record and preserve the life stories, events and timelines of individuals, families, organizations, businesses and even communities for future generations.

Personal Trainer
Personal Trainers provide advice and support on strength training, conditioning, to maintaining or achieving optimum fitness; some trainers also provide nutritional counseling.

Personalized Visitations
Personalized Visitation provide for an individual or agency to visit an older adult at home or one residing in a senior housing community. The person visiting the older adult can provide support and companionship along with checking on the person's welfare. Adult children may contract for this service if they do not live in the same city as their parent and they want to insure their health and welfare; these visits do not address any personal care needs.

Pet Services
Pet Services includes products and services for pets, pet shelters, low cost veterinary services and a source for finding pet companions for individuals.

Pet Therapy
Pet Therapy is Animal-assisted therapy that utilizes trained animals and handlers to achieve specific physical, social, cognitive, and emotional goals with patients. Studies have shown that physical contact with a pet can lower high blood pressure and improve survival rates for heart attack victims. There is also evidence that petting an animal can cause endorphins to be released. Endorphins are chemicals in the body that suppress the pain response. These are benefits that can be enjoyed from pet ownership, as well as from visiting therapeutic animals.

Phantom Pain
Phantom Pain is pain that develops after an amputation. To the patient, the pain feels like it is coming from the missing body part.

Pharmaceutical
Pharmaceutical on this website includes information about medications, drug companies, research and other education and resource services.

Pharmacies
Pharmacies provide prescription services for older adults and their families. Many will help review prescriptions and compare costs. Using a single Pharmacy may also help identify over medication or drug interactions.

Pharmacist
Pharmacist offers information about prescriptions, reviews patients' drugs, teaches caregivers and gives out medications.

Pharmacotherapy
Pharmacotherapy is the treatment of diseases and symptoms with medications.

Pharmacy Delivery
Pharmacy Delivery is home delivery of pharmaceuticals, this may include delivery to a senior community.

Physical Therapy
Physical Therapy is the treatment of disease or injury, by physical and mechanical means. Physical therapists plan and administer prescribed physical therapy treatment programs to help restore function and strength. Physician-prescribed services to improve movement, muscle control, flexibility and range of motion and reduce or prevent physical disability. Services provided by specially trained and licensed physical therapists in order to relieve pain, restore maximum function, and prevent disability or injury. These can include massage, regulated exercise and treatments involving water, light, heat and electricity.

Physician Assisted Suicide
Physician Assisted Suicide are actions by a doctor that help a patient commit suicide. Though the doctor may provide medication, a prescription, or take other steps, the patient takes his/her own life (for instance, by swallowing the pills that are expected to bring about death). This is illegal in some states.

Physician
Physician, or doctor, helps develop a medical care plan for each patient or a resident of a long-term care facility. Physicians make medical decisions, such as what medications residents take or therapy needed. They may also meet with a resident's family to discuss medical conditions or treatments. These doctors may have their own offices or work in a clinic. Some doctors work in a clinic, private practice, visit senior communities or make house calls.

Political Contacts
Political Contacts includes information on how to locate and contact your national, state and local agencies or representatives.

Post-acute Care
Post-acute Care is provided to an individual after a hospital stay and is usually related to that stay.

Power of Attorney
Power of Attorney is a legal document granting someone the right to make decisions for another. A (general) power of attorney is a written agreement between two people where the principal designates the agent to act on his behalf (represent them) for and in whatever situations the agreement specifies. A Durable Power of Attorney is a similar agreement but represents medical situations specifically where the principal becomes disabled in such a manner that they are unable to communicate and the agent steps in to act on the principal's behalf. (Durable Power of Attorney is sometimes also referred to as Medical Power of Attorney.)

Pre-Admission Screening
Pre-Admission Screening is an assessment of a person's functional, social, medical and nursing needs to determine if the person should be admitted to nursing facility or other community-based care.

Preferred Drug List
Preferred Drug List is another word for "formulary."
Preferred Provider Organization Plan (PPO)
Preferred Provider Organization Plan (PPO)is a type of Health Plan in which you pay less if you use doctors, hospitals, and providers that belong to the network. You can use doctors, hospitals, and providers outside of the network for an additional cost.

Premium
Premium is the amount you pay each month to receive insurance coverage.

Preplanning & Funeral
Preplanning & Funeral on this website includes: advanced planning, cremation and funeral services. Specific topics include sources for advanced planning, living wills, medical durable power of attorney, cremation alternatives and at-need funeral services.

Prescription Assistance
Prescription Assistance includes discount cards or programs that help pay for or offset costs of prescriptions. Sources for assistance and discounts may be government and non-profit organizations and discount cards offered by Pharmaceutical companies. Participation is sometimes based on financial need or diagnosis.

Pressure Ulcers
Pressure Ulcers are also known as bed sores, these are a form of skin damage that occur when bony parts of the body press against other parts or a mattress or chair for an extended period of time.

Preventative Health
Preventative Health includes: immunizations, health screenings, education and other programs aimed at early detection or prevention of illness, disability and disease.

Private Fee-for-Service Plan
Private Fee-for-Service Plan is a type of Medicare Advantage Plan in which you may go to any Medicare approved doctor or hospital that accepts the plan's payment. The insurance plan, rather than the Medicare Program, decides how much it will pay and what you pay for the services you get. You may pay more or less for Medicare-covered benefits. You may have extra benefits the Original Medicare Plan doesn't cover.

Private Funds (Private Pay Patients)
Private Funds is used to identify patients who pay for their care out of private funds, either their own, from family or from another third party such as an insurance company. The term is used to distinguish patients from those whose care is paid for by governmental programs (Medicaid, Medicare, Veterans Administration, and Long Term Care Insurance).

Products
Products are items that make the tasks of daily living easier. These products can range from bathroom safety, food preparation, low vision aids, dressing and grooming aids to name a few.

Professional Organizer
Professional Organizer is an individual or company that focuses on removing clutter and disorganization while eliminating stress and introducing organization and process. They are often involved with helping the elderly and their families deal with a senior's bill paying, bill management, estate physical down-sizing and clean-up activities.

Program for All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE)
Program for All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) are programs that serve individuals with long-term care needs by providing access to the entire continuum of health care services, including preventive, primary, acute and long-term care. A basic tenet of the PACE philosophy is that it is better for both the senior with long-term care needs and the healthcare system to focus on keeping the individual living as independently as possible in the community for as long as possible.

Project Based Section 8 Housing
Project Based Section 8 Housing also provides HUD-subsidized rental assistance. Eligible low-income tenants pay a percent of their gross adjusted income for rent. The rental assistance is attached to the unit so tenants cannot "take" the assistance with them if they move. Section 8 Vouchers are not accepted for project-based units, however, Vouchers may be used at other units in the development that are not part of the project-based program.

Prospective Payment System (PPS)
Prospective Payment System (PPS) is the method by which skilled nursing and other facilities are paid by Medicare.

Provider
Provider refers to individuals or facilities that offer health care or caregiving such as hospitals, nursing homes, and home health agencies. Services may include: medical services or supplies, such as a physician, hospital, x-ray company, home health agency or pharmacy.

Psychiatry
Psychiatry is treatment or counseling offered by a psychiatrist. A psychiatrist makes specific diagnoses of mental disorders, prescribes medications, and provides counseling treatments. Psychiatry may be offered in an out-patient or in-patient setting.

Psychological Approaches
Psychological Approaches include techniques used to help patients cope with over their pain and deal with emotional factors that can increase pain. Such strategies include biofeedback, imagery, hypnosis, relaxation training, stress management, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and family counseling.

Psychologist
Psychologists detect and treat emotional problems. Personality and intelligence testing can help a psychologist diagnose these problems. Treatments include individual, family and group therapy sessions.

Psychotropic Drugs
Psychotropic Drugs include: antidepressants, anti-anxiety drugs, and anti-psychotic drugs used for delusions, extreme agitation, hallucinations or paranoia. They are often referred to as mind or behavior altering drugs. Some states may have specific regulations related to Psychotropic Drug use within a facility.

Public Health
Public Health includes the County Health Departments and provides education and services that maintain the health of community members. Free or reduced cost services are available based on age and income. Services include flu shots, health screening, foot clinics, etc.

Public Housing
Public Housing provides HUD-subsidized rental assistance for eligible tenants residing at housing developments that are primarily HUD-financed and owned by the Housing Authority. Eligible low-income tenants pay a percent of their gross adjusted income for rent. The rental assistance is attached to the unit so tenants cannot "take" the assistance with them if they move. Section 8 Vouchers are NOT accepted for HUD-subsidized rental assistance.

Puzzles & Games
Puzzles & Games on this website contain links to online puzzles and games; these sites are for entertainment and often offer good mental stimulation and many websites can be set up to email a puzzle a day.