BestCareMatch learning resources
Long-Term Care Glossary & Acronyms
A clear guide to care-home names, state licensing terms, helpful abbreviations, and what they mean when comparing care options.
Important: Long-term care terminology is not uniform across the United States. The same abbreviation can mean different things in different states, while different states may use different legal names for similar settings. The definition in the state’s current licensing rules controls; a BestCareMatch search category is not itself a facility license.
Tip: When you see an underlined care term or acronym on a state page, select it to jump directly to its definition here. State and regulatory definitions link to official government sources; terms describing BestCareMatch’s own directory display are clearly marked as internal explanations.
Care homes & residential settings
Adult Family Home (AFH)
A state-regulated, home-style residence offering housing, supervision and personal care. Washington and Wisconsin each use this name, but capacity and oversight differ; check the state-specific license.
Official source: Washington DSHS ↗ · Additional official source: Wisconsin Department of Health Services ↗
Adult Family-Care Home (AFCH)
In Florida, a provider-occupied residential home licensed to provide personal care to a small number of adults. Different from a Florida Assisted Living Facility.
Adult Foster Care (AFC)
Residential care in a home-like setting. Michigan, Minnesota, Oregon and other states regulate their own versions; an AFC license in one state is not equivalent to an ALF license elsewhere.
Adult Care Home (ACH)
A state term for residential personal care. In North Carolina, adult care homes include smaller Family Care Homes; the exact license and size must be checked.
Adult Care Facility (ACF)
New York’s umbrella classification for certain residential, non-medical adult care settings, such as Adult Homes and Enriched Housing Programs. Not the same meaning as Colorado’s ACF.
Adult Home (AH)
In New York, a licensed Adult Care Facility that offers long-term room, board, housekeeping, personal care and supervision to eligible adults.
Adult Residential Care Provider (ARCP)
Louisiana’s licensed residential-care provider classification. ARCP levels have different service, setting and operating requirements.
Adult Residential Care Home (ARCH)
A Hawaii residential care-home license type. Expanded care and community-care foster family homes are related but distinct regulatory arrangements.
Adult Day Care / Adult Day Center (ADC)
A daytime program providing supervision, structured activities and support for adults with functional or cognitive needs. Some programs also provide health-related services. It is not overnight residential care; state licensing and service rules vary.
Assisted-Care Living Facility (ACLF)
Tennessee’s regulated Assisted-Care Living Facility (ACLF) designation for residential care and supportive services. It is distinct from the state’s residential-home and nursing-facility licensing categories; confirm the current facility license and services.
Assisted Living Community (ALC)
A state-specific residential care license category, including Georgia’s Assisted Living Communities (generally for 25 or more residents under Chapter 111-8-63). Georgia regulates Assisted Living Communities separately from Personal Care Homes. Kentucky also uses the term under its own rules.
Official source: Georgia Department of Community Health ↗ · Additional official source: Kentucky Administrative Regulations ↗
Assisted Living Facility (ALF)
A residential setting providing housing and support with personal care; the legal meaning, resident needs and level of nursing support allowed differ substantially by state.
Assisted Living Home (ALH)
Alaska’s state license designation for residential assisted living homes; home-like and larger settings can fall within this legal classification.
Assisted Living Program (ALP)
A term used differently by states. For example, New York’s ALP provides enhanced services through approved Adult Care Facility settings; Iowa uses certification for Assisted Living Programs.
Official source: New York Department of Health ↗ · Additional official source: Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals & Licensing ↗
Assisted Living Residence (ALR)
A legal label used by states including Colorado, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont; requirements and whether the program is licensed or certified vary.
Assisted Living Residence–Residential Care (ALR-RC)
A New Hampshire assisted living residence classification for residential-care-level services. The state separately regulates supported residential health care settings.
Alternative Care Facility (ACF)
In Colorado, an Alternative Care Facility (ACF) is an Assisted Living Residence certified for certain Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services. ACF is not an additional stand-alone residential license type. In New York, ACF means Adult Care Facility, a different classification.
Assisted Living Type A / Type B
Texas license types based partly on residents’ ability to evacuate in an emergency and their need for nighttime attendance. Both can be small or large assisted living facilities.
Assisted Living Type I / Type II
Utah assisted living categories: Type I generally serves residents able to evacuate independently; Type II serves some residents needing limited assistance, under additional requirements.
Assisted Living Level I / Level II
Arkansas assisted living license levels, with differing resident-care, staffing and service rules.
Assisted Living Category A / B / C
Montana categories and approvals for assisted living residents with different care needs; additional permissions must be verified for a given facility.
Board-and-Care Home
A common, informal name for some small residential care settings. The legal license may be RCFE, PCH, RCF or another type depending on the state.
Certified Family Home (CFH)
Idaho’s certified small residential care model. Certification is legally different from Idaho’s licensed Residential Assisted Living Facilities.
Community-Based Residential Facility (CBRF)
Wisconsin’s licensed assisted-living-related setting for five or more unrelated residents; distinct from Adult Family Homes and Residential Care Apartment Complexes.
Community Care Foster Family Home (CCFFH)
A Hawaii community-based residential care setting regulated under a state program; do not assume it has the same license as an Assisted Living Facility.
Comprehensive Personal Care Home (CPCH)
New Jersey licensed setting that provides room and board and makes assisted living services available as needed, under standards distinct from Assisted Living Residences.
Enriched Housing Program (EHP)
New York Adult Care Facility type for housing-oriented long-term residential services in a community-integrated setting, often apartment-like.
Elder Group Home (EGH)
Iowa’s certified residential care model for three to five unrelated older adults living in a single-family residence. An Elder Group Home provides room, board and personal care under Iowa Code Chapter 231B; it is distinct from the state’s certified Assisted Living Programs (ALPs) and licensed Residential Care Facilities (RCFs).
Official source: Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals & Licensing ↗
Family Care Home (FCH)
A smaller residential adult-care model; in North Carolina, Family Care Homes generally have two to six beds and form part of the Adult Care Home category.
Home for the Aged (HFA)
Michigan’s regulated residential setting for older residents, separate from Adult Foster Care licenses. The term also appears in some other states with different rules.
Home Plus
A Kansas Adult Care Home license category for smaller residential settings that provide housing and care; separate from Assisted Living Facilities.
Managed Residential Community (MRC)
In Connecticut, a Managed Residential Community (MRC) is a registered residential setting where assisted living services may be furnished by a separately licensed Assisted Living Services Agency (ALSA). The community’s registration is not an assisted living facility license.
Official source: Connecticut Department of Public Health ↗ · Additional official source: Connecticut Long-Term Care Ombudsman ↗
Assisted Living Services Agency (ALSA)
In Connecticut, an Assisted Living Services Agency (ALSA) is a licensed agency that provides assisted living services to qualifying residents in a registered Managed Residential Community (MRC). The agency and the residential community have different regulatory statuses.
Official source: Connecticut Department of Public Health ↗ · Additional official source: Connecticut DPH: Facility Licensing ↗
Personal Care Home (PCH)
A regulated home or facility providing accommodation, supervision and personal care. Pennsylvania and Georgia license PCHs but the requirements are not identical.
Official source: Pennsylvania Department of Human Services ↗ · Additional official source: Georgia Department of Community Health ↗
Residential Care Apartment Complex (RCAC)
Wisconsin residential apartment-based assisted living model subject to state certification or registration standards; distinct from Adult Family Homes and CBRFs.
Residential Care Facility (RCF)
A term used in several states, sometimes for personal care settings and sometimes as the legal assisted-living license name. Always check the state.
Residential Care Facility for the Elderly (RCFE)
California’s license for residential, nonmedical care for older adults. Small board-and-care homes and larger assisted living communities may both be RCFEs.
Residential Care Home (RCH)
A regulated residential setting name used in states including Connecticut and Vermont; services and relationship to assisted living vary by state.
Specialty Care Assisted Living Facility (SCALF)
Alabama’s regulated assisted living setting for residents with dementia or related cognitive conditions. It has requirements that differ from a standard Assisted Living Facility.
Special Needs Assisted Living Residence (SNALR)
A New York assisted living residence with authorization to serve residents with specified special needs, including certain dementia-related needs.
Supportive Living Program (SLP)
Illinois’ Supportive Living Program (SLP) is a Medicaid-related, service-enriched housing program for qualifying older adults and eligible adults with physical disabilities. Program approval is distinct from an ordinary Assisted Living Establishment license.
Official source: Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services ↗
ACF can mean two different things
The abbreviation ACF has different official meanings. Colorado uses Alternative Care Facility (Medicaid-certified assisted living services); New York uses Adult Care Facility (a regulated residential care category). Check the state before relying on the abbreviation.
Official source: Colorado Health Care Policy & Financing ↗ · Additional official source: New York Department of Health ↗
Additional state-specific names
Residential Facility for Groups (RFG)
Nevada’s regulated Residential Facility for Groups (RFG) classification includes many communities marketed as assisted living. It provides food, shelter, assistance and limited supervision; certain services require state-approved endorsements. Check the facility’s authorization, not just its administrator’s credentials.
Supported Residential Health Care Facility (SRHCF)
New Hampshire’s separately regulated supported residential health care model under He-P 805. It is not identical to an Assisted Living Residence–Residential Care under He-P 804.
Residential Health Care Facility (RHCF)
In New Jersey, a Residential Health Care Facility (RHCF) is a licensed facility attached to another licensed long-term care facility. It provides food, shelter, supervised health care and related services in a home-like setting. It is a separate classification from Assisted Living Residences and Comprehensive Personal Care Homes.
Enhanced Assisted Living Residence (EALR)
New York assisted living residence with additional state certification allowing care for certain residents whose needs exceed those of an ordinary assisted living residence, subject to individual authorization and rules.
Basic Care Facility (BCF)
North Dakota licensed residential setting for adults requiring supervision and assistance. The state regulates Basic Care Facilities separately from Assisted Living Facilities.
Assisted Living Center
A legal residential-care category used by states such as Oklahoma and South Dakota. Rules are state-specific: Oklahoma distinguishes Assisted Living Centers from Residential Care Homes; South Dakota regulates Assisted Living Centers with listed service approvals.
Community Residential Care Facility (CRCF)
South Carolina’s state license for residential settings that provide or coordinate personal care for qualifying adult residents. Communities using the marketing term assisted living may be regulated as CRCFs.
Official source: South Carolina Department of Public Health ↗
Residential Living Center
South Dakota residential living setting that must register with the state under applicable rules but is not the same as a state-licensed Assisted Living Center.
Residential Care Community
West Virginia residential-care classification under state oversight. Use the facility’s current licensing record to distinguish it from an Assisted Living Residence and confirm the care provided.
Official source: West Virginia Office of Inspector General ↗
Assisted Living Establishment
Illinois regulated residential setting licensed to provide services under assisted living rules. Different from Illinois Shared Housing Establishments and the Medicaid Supportive Living Program.
Alternate Family Care (New Jersey)
New Jersey’s Alternate Family Care is an approved arrangement in which an unrelated caregiver, working through a sponsor agency, provides room, board, personal care and related services for no more than three people in the caregiver’s home. This is not the same as Florida’s licensed Adult Family-Care Home.
Care services and everyday language
Assisted living
A residential approach combining housing, meals, supervision and help with everyday tasks. The legal name and permitted services are set by each state.
Nursing home
Residential health care setting providing continuing nursing services and supervision; state licensure and Medicare/Medicaid participation must be verified separately.
Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF)
A facility providing skilled nursing or rehabilitation services meeting Medicare requirements. Medicare covers eligible, time-limited skilled care, not routine long-term custodial care.
Nursing Facility (NF)
A Nursing Facility (NF) is a state-licensed facility certified to provide covered institutional nursing-facility services under Medicaid. A Medicaid NF certification does not automatically establish Medicare Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) certification; verify each program separately.
Memory care
Services or a residential setting for people living with dementia. Depending on the state, this may require a specialty license, endorsement, disclosure or other approval; the phrase alone is not proof of authorization.
Independent living
Housing for adults who largely manage their own daily needs, sometimes with meals or amenities. Such housing is not necessarily licensed to deliver personal or nursing care.
Rehabilitation / Rehab
Therapies and recovery support, such as physical, occupational or speech therapy; availability and Medicare coverage depend on the service and setting.
Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)
Basic personal tasks such as bathing, dressing, eating, transferring and using the toilet. Care assessments often use ADLs to determine needed support.
Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs)
More complex activities needed to live independently, such as shopping, meal preparation, housework, managing money and using communications devices. These are distinct from basic Activities of Daily Living (ADLs).
Respite care
Short-term support giving a regular family caregiver a break. May be offered at home, in adult day care or in a residential setting, depending on authorization and funding.
Hospice care
Comfort-focused end-of-life care for eligible people with a terminal illness. Hospice is a service rather than a residential facility license. Medicare hospice eligibility and coverage have specific requirements; room and board in a care facility is generally not covered by the hospice benefit, with limited exceptions.
Licensing, verification and payment
Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS)
Ongoing assistance for people who need help with daily activities due to aging, chronic illness or disability; can be delivered at home or in residential settings.
Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS)
Medicaid-supported services that help eligible people receive care in homes and communities rather than institutions.
HCBS Waiver
An approved state Medicaid waiver program covering certain services for eligible people who meet state conditions. Waiver availability and provider participation vary.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
The federal agency that administers the Medicare program and works with states on Medicaid and federal care-facility requirements.
Medicare
Federal health insurance primarily for people 65 and older and certain younger eligible individuals. Medicare may cover qualifying short-term skilled care but generally does not cover ongoing custodial or nonmedical long-term care.
Medicaid
Federal-state health coverage program. Depending on state eligibility and the service, it can help fund nursing facility care or approved community services; room and board often have different rules.
Private pay
Care expenses paid by the individual or family instead of an insurer or public program. The provider’s rates, deposits and contracts must be reviewed.
Licensed
A state regulator has issued a license for a defined type of operation. A license does not prove that a home has a vacant bed or that it suits every care need.
Certified
A government authority has recognized compliance with a defined certification or program requirement. Certification can be different from licensing.
Registered
A government registration category. Registration is not necessarily equivalent to state facility licensure or approval to provide hands-on care.
Specialty license / endorsement
A state-issued additional approval that may authorize a particular type of service, population or care level, such as certain dementia services.
Licensed capacity / beds
The maximum permitted resident capacity stated in a facility’s license or approval. It is not a live count of available rooms or openings.
Inspection / survey
A regulator’s review of facility operations, conditions and compliance. Check the full dated inspection record rather than relying on a marketing claim.
License standing
The current regulatory status of a provider’s license, including restrictions, suspension or expiration when applicable. Always consult the official record.
BestCareMatch care category
One of BestCareMatch’s six ways to browse care settings. These are our directory navigation labels, not necessarily six separate government facility-license categories. This is a BestCareMatch editorial term, not a government-issued classification.
Directory listing count
BestCareMatch’s count of directory records currently displayed for a state or search category. A provider may appear in several categories. Counts do not certify a facility’s license, current vacancies, available beds or safety record. This is BestCareMatch’s own display methodology, not a government licensing definition.