While the Caregiver Forum is filled with tips, advice and support, it may also contain abbreviations and acronyms that may be unfamiliar to some readers. We have compiled a list of both professional and colloquial abbreviations commonly used on AgingCare.

Abbreviation/Acronym

Meaning

AC

AgingCare

ACM

AgingCare Moderator (Admin)

AD

Alzheimer’s Disease

ADC

Adult Day Care

ADLs

Activities of Daily Living

AL

Assisted Living

ALF

Assisted Living Facility

Alz

Alzheimer’s Disease

APS

Adult Protective Services

BF

Boyfriend

BID

Twice Per Day

BIL

Brother-in-Law

BM

Bowel Movement

BP

Blood Pressure

BPD

Borderline Personality Disorder

BTDT

Been There Done That

BTW

By the Way

CC

Credit Card

CCRC

Continuing Care Retirement Community

CELA

Certified Elder Law Attorney

CHF

Congestive Heart Failure

CMS

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

CNA

Certified Nursing Assistant

COPD

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

CS

Community Spouse

DD

Dear/Darling Daughter

DH

Dear/Darling Husband

DHS

Department of Human Services

DIL

Daughter-in-Law

DME

Durable Medical Equipment

DS

Dear/Darling Son

DNR

Do Not Resuscitate

DON

Director of Nursing

DPOA

Durable Power of Attorney

DVT

Deep Vein Thrombosis

DW

Dear/Darling Wife

Dx

Diagnosis

ECG or EKG

Electrocardiogram

EOAD

Early Onset Alzheimer’s Disease

EOL

End of Life

ESRD

End-Stage Renal Disease

FAST

Functional Assessment Staging Test

FIL

Father-in-Law

FMLA

Family Medical Leave Act

FOG

Fear, Obligation, Guilt

FTD

Frontotemporal Dementia

GF

Girlfriend or Grandfather

GM

Grandmother

HHA

Home Health Aide, Home Health Agency

HIPAA

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act

HTH

Hope This Helps

IADLs

Instrumental Activities of Daily Living

IBS

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

IL

Independent Living

IMHO

In My Humble/Honest Opinion

IMO

In My Opinion

JTWROS

Joint Tenants with Rights of Survivorship

LBD

Lewy Body Dementia

LO

Loved One

LOL

Laugh Out Loud

LPN

Licensed Practical Nurse

LTC

Long-Term Care

LTCI

Long-Term Care Insurance

LTCO

Long-Term Care Ombudsman

MC

Memory Care

MCI

Mild Cognitive Impairment

MERP

Medicaid Estate Recovery Program

MIL

Mother-in-Law

MMSE

Mini-Mental State Exam

MSA

Medical Savings Accounts

NM

Narcissistic Mother

NH

Nursing Home

NPD

Narcissistic Personality Disorder

NPH

Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus

NPO

Nothing by Mouth

OCD

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

OP

Original Poster

OT

Occupational Therapist, Occupational Therapy

OT

Off Topic

OTOH

On The Other Hand

PACE

Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly

PCP

Primary Care Physician

PD

Personality Disorder

PD

Parkinson’s Disease

PEG

Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy Tube

PICC

Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter

PNA

Personal Needs Allowance

POA

Power of Attorney

POD

Payable on Death

POLST

Physician Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment

POV

Point of View

PT

Physical Therapist, Physical Therapy

QD

Every Day

QOL

Quality of Life

RCF

Residential Care Facility

RN

Registered Nurse

SIB

Sibling

SIL

Sister-in-Law or Son-in-Law

SNF

Skilled Nursing Facility

SO

Significant Other

SSA

Social Security Administration

SSDI

Social Security Disability Insurance

SSI

Supplemental Security Income

SW

Social Worker

TBH

To Be Honest

TBI

Traumatic Brain Injury

TIA

Thanks in Advance

TIA

Transient Ischemic Attack

TMI

Too Much Information

TOD

Transfer on Death

Troll

A person who purposely posts offensive comments

TY

Thank You

TYIA

Thank You in Advance

UTI

Urinary Tract Infection

VA

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

VD

Vascular Dementia

(( ))

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