Unit 18: Vocabulary

Please study the 20 vocabulary terms below. Then press the Mark Complete button to continue.
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ailment
a minor illness
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He complains of many unusual sounding ailments, but we can find no evidence of any problem.
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bathe
to clean, wash
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All patients need to be bathed once per day.
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bedsores
a sore or rash developed by the pressure of lying in the same place for an extended period
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Bedsores are a real problem for coma patients.
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cognitive
relating to cognition or the brain
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Diet has been proven to have an effect on our cognitive processes.
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companionship
a feeling of company, friendship
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One of the advantages of retirement homes is that the residents have a lot of companionship.
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dementia
a decline in mental ability severe enough to impact on daily life
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A lot of elderly people suffer from dementia and as a result have problems with their memory.
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functional disability
a long term limitation resulting from an injury, condition or illness
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Although he is in good physical condition, he suffers from a mental condition which has led to his functional disability and is unable to care for himself.
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glaucoma
a condition of increased pressure within the eyeball resulting in loss of sight
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Glaucoma is most often treated with eye-drops, but if untreated it can result in blindness.
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grooming
activities such as brushing ones hair, doing ones make-up and generally taking care of ones appearance
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It is a mistake to think that only female patients need help with their grooming.
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hospice
a home providing care for sick, elderly or terminally ill patients
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Many terminally ill patients are given a new lease on life in hospice care.
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impairment
the state of being weakened, damaged or diminished
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He spent three months recuperating after the eye surgery, but still has a slight impairment in his sight.
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incontinent
unable to control natural discharges of urine / feces
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One of the most embarrassing things for elderly patients is becoming incontinent.
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infirm
frail, weak - often connected to age
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She is very infirm and should not go out alone.
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interaction
the process of reacting to and responding to a stimuli
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All humans need interaction as we are social creatures.
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osteoporosis
a bone weakening disease
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Many senior citizens need hip replacements as a result of osteoporosis.
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outcome
a result, effect
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The family waited nervously before the doctor gave them the outcome of the tests.
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pre-existing
something which already was already before
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Most insurance policies do not allow for treatment of pre-existing conditions.
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regimen
a prescribed course of medical treatment
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It is important to finish the regimen of antibiotics.
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residential care
long-term care given to patients in a 'home' setting
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A lot of elderly people who cannot live comfortably on their own make use of residential care, where a nurse comes to their house.
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respite care
short-term care given to patients who cannot be cared for by family
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As her family live in Australia, Susan spent two weeks in respite care after her operation.
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