There seems to be a lot of confusion about what is meant by "long-term care." To some people, it means a nursing home. To others, it means assisted living. Yet to others, it means in-home care. Or, sometimes people think of care in a skilled nursing facility.

Who is right?

These are all correct definitions of "long-term care." The trick: When evaluating what type of service or placement is best for a person, be sure that you understand what their needs and capabilities are, plus, equally important, what your expectations are from the facility.

For example, do you expect their person to undergo rehabilitation that will allow them to return to independent living? Perhaps you want to have assisted living that will allow them to retain a degree of independence, but still have their medical needs met with proper management of medication and other needs. Or, the person might require more intensive care such as is available in a skilled care facility.

The choice should be made based upon need of the patient for whom care is being provided, your expectations for that person, and the ability of the person being placed to respond to and meet those expectations.

Long-term care is a fact of life today. We live in a mobile society, people work extra jobs and, quite frankly, more and more people are living longer.

That's why, if you are faced with a decision regarding long-term care and your are the "caregiver", make sure that you fully understand the facets of the different types of long-term care and services available.