noun
nursing home, retirement home, old people''s home
B1
Altersheim (das) is synonymous with 'nursing home' or 'retirement home', a residential facility for elderly people. Plural: Altersheime. Declension: das Altersheim, des Altersheims, dem Altersheim, die Altersheime. Neutral gender; term used in formal and everyday discussions about elder care and housing. Often interchangeable with 'Altenheim'.
Examples
Das Altersheim bietet viele Freizeitaktivitäten für die Bewohner.
The retirement home offers lots of leisure activities for its residents.
Meine Oma möchte nicht ins Altersheim. Sie will zu Hause bleiben.
My grandma doesn't want to go to a nursing home. She wants to stay at home.
Die Frau spendete Bücher an das Altersheim, nachdem die Nachbarn zu einer Sammlung aufgerufen hatten.
The woman donated books to the retirement home after the neighbors had called for a collection.
Details
Mnemonics
Picture a house with a big sign 'Altersheim' where elderly people gather in the garden.
Think of 'alter's home' — 'Alter' means old in German and 'heim' means home.
das — remember that many institutions/buildings take 'das' (e.g., das Krankenhaus, das Museum), so das Altersheim.
Notes
Altersheim is a neutral, somewhat formal term for a residential care facility for the elderly. Colloquial or alternative words include 'Seniorenheim' or 'Pflegeheim' (the latter often emphasizes medical care).