Glossary

Caregivers are family or friends who provide assistance with an older adult’s social or health needs. This may include help with one or more activities important for daily living, such as bathing and dressing, paying bills, shopping and providing transportation; giving emotional support; and helping with managing a chronic disease or disability.

On Search. Find. Help., a program is evidence-based if the body of evidence has been published in a systematic review or meta-analysis. Programs are also classified as evidence-based if they met the requirements of other agencies or organizations—for example, the Administration for Community Living Aging and Disability Evidence-Based Programs and Practices Initiative, the Best Practice Caregiving database, or others.

Search. Find. Help. defines an older adult as individuals aged 50 years and over. Some programs may have eligibility requirements, limiting participation to those aged 60 and over or those aged 65 and over.

A public health emergency is an event that puts the health of a community at risk. Events such as biological threats or infectious outbreaks (e.g., viruses such as COVID-19); natural disasters; incidents of violence or disruption, and chemical and radiological events are public health emergencies.