Glossary
Long-term care insurance
Long-term care insurance is a private policy that pays a daily or monthly benefit toward assisted living, memory care, nursing home or in-home care once the policyholder needs help with a set number of daily activities.
Policies differ in the elimination period (days before benefits start), the daily benefit, the benefit period and whether inflation protection applies. Most require the community to be licensed, which every California RCFE is.
Related terms
Activities of daily living (ADLs)
Activities of daily living are the basic self-care tasks, usually listed as bathing, dressing, toileting, transferring (getting in and out of a bed or chair), continence and eating.
Assisted living
Assisted living is a licensed residential setting where older adults live in their own apartment or room and receive help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, meals and medications, without the medical supervision of a nursing home.
Definitions reviewed September 5, 2026. Rules vary by state and change over time; confirm specifics with the community and the licensing agency.