Long-Term Care Providers

When people think of long-term care providers they often think only of nursing homes. However, there are a variety of long-term care providers you can choose from, so you can find the one that best meets your needs.

The list begins with those offering care in the most independent setting and ends with those that provide the highest level of care.

Those long-term care providers licensed or regulated by the Agency for Health Care Administration can be found by clicking HERE or by calling the Elder Care Helpline toll-free number (800) 963-5337.

Community Based Programs and Services

Community-based services include Meals-on-Wheels, meal programs (like at a senior center), and simple friendly visits. Houses and apartments with a focus on seniors, and often with community-organized social and leisure activities, include retirement communities, continuing care retirement communities, and senior apartment complexes.

Senior centers and some private, religious, and charitable groups provide community programs that help seniors and disabled individuals remain physically and mentally active in the community.

Subsidized Housing

There are federal and state rent-subsidized housing programs available in Florida. Subsidized means government programs help cover part of the rent. The subsidized apartment complexes are for low-income people and some are specifically designed for the elderly or for people with disabilities.

Most of the subsidized housing offer few services beyond an on-site manager and maybe vans to take residents shopping. Some may provide more services although they are not required to do so. Residents usually prepare meals in their own apartments. For more information contact your local housing authority (www.hud.gov/local/fl/renting/hawebsites.cfm) or visit the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) website that focuses on Florida by clicking www.hud.gov/local/index.cfm?state=fl.

Senior Apartments

These are apartment complexes for seniors with extra services included in the rent. The rental fee usually includes meals, light housekeeping, as well as social and leisure activities. Age requirements vary by facility.

Continuing Care Retirement Communities

Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs) offer different levels of care based on what the CCRC offers and the needs of the resident. A CCRC has independent living apartments or houses and a nursing home, and some include an assisted living facility. Residents pay an entrance fee plus monthly fees and can move from independent living to assisted living (if available) to the nursing home, based on their needs.

The Florida Agency for Health Care Administration licenses the nursing home and assisted living facility in a CCRC. The Florida Department of Financial Services regulates the CCRC contracts.

Homemaker and Companions

Homemakers and companions provide services to persons in their homes. Services can include housekeeping, cooking, help with shopping and other household activities, companionship, and trips with the client to appointments and other activities. Homemakers and companions cannot provide hands-on personal care to a client, such as assistance in bathing, and cannot give medications.

Homemaker and companion companies must be registered by the Agency for Health Care Administration. However, individuals who work on their own, with no other helpers are not required to be registered. Homemaker and companion services can also be offered by a home health agency, nurse registry, or hospice. Some government programs also provide these services.

Nurse Registries

Nurse registries act as employment agencies between a patient and nurses, certified nursing assistants, home health aides, homemakers and companions for services provided in a person’s home. Each individual health care worker is an independent contractor and is not a direct employee of the nurse registry. Nurse registries are licensed by the Agency for Health Care Administration.

Home Health Agencies

Home health agencies provide services to persons in their homes. Services can include nursing care; physical, occupational, respiratory, and speech therapy; home health aides; homemaker and companions; medical social work; and medical equipment and supplies. Home health agencies are licensed by the Agency for Health Care Administration.

Adult Day Care Centers

Adult day care centers provide services during part of the day. Participants live in their own homes and come to the center during certain hours. Services can include activities that provide social interaction, leisure and mental stimulation; meals and snacks; health monitoring; and assistance with medications. In some centers additional services might include medical social work; some limited skilled nursing; therapy; and transportation to appointments or to and from the center.

Adult day care centers can be freestanding licensed centers or services can be offered through a licensed nursing home, assisted living facility, or hospital. Adult day care center are licensed by the Agency for Health Care Administration.

Adult Family Care Homes

Adult family care homes provide a full-time, family-type living arrangement in a private home for up to five aged or disabled people who are not related to the owner. The owner lives in the same house as the residents and provides housing, meals, health monitoring, social activities and one or more personal care services (like help with eating, grooming, personal cleanliness, dressing, bathing, etc.). Additional services may be provided.

Adult family care homes are licensed by the Agency for Health Care Administration.

Assisted Living Facilities

Assisted living facilities provide full-time living arrangements in the least restrictive and most home-like environment. Facilities can range in size from one resident to several hundred and can include individual apartments or rooms that a person has alone or shares with another person.

An assisted living facility (ALF) provides housing, meals, health monitoring, social activities and one or more personal care services (like help with eating, grooming, personal cleanliness, dressing, bathing, etc.). An ALF may also provide respite services (when a person is placed temporarily in the ALF to give the home caregiver a break). Additional services may also be provided.

Assisted living facilities are licensed by the Agency for Health Care Administration. Along with a standard license, there are three special licenses an assisted living facility might have.

An extended congregate care license allows a resident to age in place by providing: nursing services; monthly nursing assessments; total help with bathing, dressing, grooming and toileting; measurement and recording of basic vital functions and weight; and dietary management.
A limited nursing services license offers specific nursing services in addition to any nursing services permitted under a standard license. Some of the limited nursing services are: nursing assessments; care and application of routine dressings; care of casts, braces, and splints; administration and regulation of portable oxygen; catheter, colostomy, and ileostomy care and maintenance.
An ALF must have a limited mental health licenseif they serve three or more mental health residents and services must be provided for the special needs of these residents.

Hospice

Hospices provide services in a person's home, in a hospice facility, or in a hospital for patients with a terminal illness.

Services can include nursing, physician, social work, and pastoral services; nutritional counseling; and bereavement counseling (dealing with the grief of death and dying). Additional services may include: physical, occupational, speech, and massage therapy; home health aide and homemaker/companion services; home medical equipment and supplies; and respite services (temporary relief for the caregiver). The staff is specially trained to help the patient and family members who are dealing with death and dying.

Hospices are licensed by the Agency for Health Care Administration.

Nursing Homes

Nursing homes are residential facilities where a person lives or where a person can stay temporarily. A temporary stay may be for respite care or recuperation after being in a hospital.

Services include nursing care 24-hours a day, personal care services, meals and special diets, case management, health monitoring, and social activities. Additional services may include: physical, occupational, and speech therapy; and respite services.

Nursing homes are licensed by the Agency for Health Care Administration.

More Information

You can read more about long-term care providers in our consumer brochures on home health care, assisted living, and long-term care. To view the brochures click HERE, or order the brochures by calling the toll-free number (888) 419-3456.