Glossary

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

A


Accessible: When people with disabilities can easily use something. A setting or communication must work as well for people with disabilities as it does for everyone else.

Accessibility: What makes it easy for people with disabilities to obtain, understand or use.

Adolescence: Is from 10 to 19 years old. It is the time when a person is growing to become an adult.

Adolescent: A person who is 10 to 19 years old.

Adult Independence: An adult with disabilities is free to make their own day-to-day choices. For example: how to live, work, and take part in their communities.

Adult resources: Information and supports for adults.

Advocate (to): To speak up and make a case for what you need.

Affirmative Resources: Supports that are respectful and welcome a person the way they are.

Aggressive Behaviors: Words or actions that may hurt someone

Anxiety: Intense feelings of worry and fear.

ASAN: The Autistic Self-Advocacy Network is an organization run for and by autistic people.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): A condition where someone:

  • finds it hard to pay attention

  • may act without thinking

  • and needs to move a lot

Augmentative Alternative Communication (AAC): Ways, besides talking, that people show others what they want and need. This includes writing, pointing at pictures, typing, using signs, etc.

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B

Behavioral Therapy:  Therapy to change unhealthy or harmful ways people act.

Behavior Treatments: (See Behavior Therapy)

Bi-Polar Disorder: A disorder where someone’s mood changes between highs and lows.

Blood Draws: Inserting a needle into a vein to collect a blood sample for testing.

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C

Capitated: Paying an amount of money based on how many patients are seen at a doctor’s office.

Caregiver: Someone who helps a person with everyday activities.

Case Management: Someone who helps make sure your services and supports work for you.

Community Programs: Activities or supports provided in your town in the same places as people without disabilities.

Community Resource Guide: A list of support services and resources in a local area.

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D

Depression: Feelings of sadness or lack of interest in activities you once found enjoyable. It can change how much you sleep or eat.

Developmental disability services: Supports and programs for persons who are disabled before the age of 18.

Dietician: A healthcare professional who helps people eat healthy.

Dual Disability: Having more than one disability.

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E

Executive functioning: How your brain works to focus, make a plan, remember and do more than one thing at the same time.

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F

Funding: Money from an organization or government.

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G

Gastro-intestinal: The many different parts of your body that food and liquid go through. For example: your mouth, stomach, or anus.

Government Policy-Makers: People in government who make rules and laws.

Guardianship: Guardianship is a legal word. Guardianship is when a court decides that a person cannot make their own decisions. The court then appoints someone else to make decisions for the person.

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H

Healthcare professionals: People trained to provide healthcare. This includes doctors, nurses, therapists, etc.

Healthcare providers: People or places that provide healthcare. This includes doctors, nurses or hospitals.

Healthcare transition: When teenagers start making their own healthcare decisions as they become adults. They may change to a new doctor for adults.

Healthcare transition supports: Ways to make healthcare transition easier for teenagers and their parents.

Health Maintenance Organization (HMO). A group of doctors and hospitals who accept a set amount of money for services they provide.

Housing: A place where people live.

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I

Insurance: A person pays a set amount of money each month to a company. Then, the company will help the person to pay for health care, like going to the hospital or getting medicine.

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J

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K

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L

Legal Issues: These situations involve laws. A person might need help from a lawyer. In this study, legal issues were guardianship, wills and trusts

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M

Mental health professionals: Trained people who help people with their mental health.

Medical Home: In a medical home, a team of  medical providers manages your care. They listen to the patient to make sure they get the care they need. It is all about the patient.

Medical Providers: People or places that give medical care. This includes doctors, nurses or hospitals.

Mood Disorders: 

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N

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O

Outcomes: Results.

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P

Pap smear: A test where a swab is inserted into the vagina to check for abnormal cells.

Pediatric: Children under the age of 18.

Pediatricians:  Doctors for children.

Policy: Rules people follow to know what to do. OR The ideas and beliefs used by a government or group when making decisions.

Post-secondary education: Opportunities to learn after high school. This can include trade programs, college, or any other learning opportunity.

Primary care: The medical office which is the main point of contact for a person’s medical care. It includes basic medical care like annual checkups and shots.

Preventative Healthcare: Healthcare that keeps you healthy, like regular check-ups and routine testing. Healthcare to prevent a condition from getting worse.

Privacy: There is a federal law that says a person decides who can look at and get a copy of your health information.

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Q

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R

Reactive Healthcare: Getting medical care after you are sick. Not getting healthcare, like a vaccine, to prevent an illness.

Rectal exam: Wearing gloves, doctor puts a finger into the patient’s rectum to feel some internal organs.

Resources- Adult: Information, services and supports just for adults.

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S

Safer sex: Ways to prevent pregnancy and avoid sexually transmitted infections.

Screening: A test to find out if you have or are at risk for a health condition

Shared care: When a pediatric and an adult healthcare provider work together to care for a patient

Schizophrenia:

Seizures: A sudden electrical event in the brain

Self-care: Skills used to take care of yourself.

Sensory sensitivities: Being more aware of and sensitive to your environment. For example, more aware of and sensitive to smells, sounds, touch, brightness, quick moving.

Sexual Health and Wellbeing: the physical, emotional, and social aspects of expressing one’s sexuality.

Sexually transmitted infections (STI): Infections that you can get through sexual contact.

Shared Care: Medical care from a group of providers who work together to treat you

Social workers: A specialist who helps you meet your basic physical, mental and emotional health needs. Some do counseling. Some connect a person to services.

Special Educators: People who teach children with learning differences

Specialists: A healthcare provider who treats specific conditions, or works with a certain area of the body.

Supported decision making: Helping a person understand their choices and make their own decisions. Supported decision making is not like guardianship. With guardianship, the guardian makes decisions for the person.

Supporter or Support Person: Someone who may go with the person to appointments.

STI Testing: Medical tests to find out if you have a sexually transmitted infection.

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T

Taking Blood Pressures: To measure how strong blood is moving from your heart through your your body

Telehealth or Telemedicine Visits: Meeting with your medical provider on a video call.

Transition Care Coordinator: The person who manages services for a patient moving into adult care.

Transition Services Program: Ways to help a child transition to adult services

Transportation: A way to get from one place to another.

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U

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V

Vocational programs: Support and training to help a person find and keep a job.
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W

Waiting Room Environment: How a waiting room is set up to make a person feel welcome and comfortable.

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X

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Y

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Z