Last Updated on June 19, 2024 by Frank Davis
Hospice care at home is a type of care that focuses on the needs of the patient and their family. The hospice team comes in to help where needed with ensuring the patient’s comfort, relieving their pain, and addressing many other issues related to their medical condition.
In most cases, hospice is given in the home rather than a hospital or nursing facility. It is provided in a supportive setting that encourages self-care along with additional professional support through physicians or nurses who come in to ensure vital signs are being taken appropriately and provide medication for patients which prevents them from feeling pain or symptoms.
Hospice at home is meant to provide those who are suffering from a terminal illness with as much support as possible. It is not intended to come in and take over the patient’s life, but rather it assists them with the development of a positive attitude and self-care so they can continue living their life and not lose control.
This includes assisting patients with getting their medication, taking vital signs, helping them with personal care such as bathing and grooming needs, and more. It is meant to be a positive experience that assists the patient through this difficult stage of their life.
Hospice care at home is often administered along with other additional types of care. It is not intended as a form of long-term care for those who suffer from a debilitating illness. It is meant to be used as a transition from curative or acute care into palliative or end of life care.
It is often offered for those who have been released from the hospital and no longer need a high level of professional support, but rather something that will assist them with the difficult things they face over the next few months until their death.
In some cases, hospice can be utilized to ease patients suffering from chronic illnesses so they do not have to go through more treatments that may cause them pain and suffering during this time.
For those who have been diagnosed with a terminal illness, hospice at home is meant to provide as much support as possible so they can continue living as long as they possibly can. It allows them to develop a more positive attitude so they are not focused on the pain and treatments necessary for their prognosis. It allows them to focus on quality of life rather than quantity.
It offers a means for families to care for a loved one at home without having to worry about them going into a hospice facility, which is often the last place they want to be.
For those who may wish to receive hospice care at home, it is important that they discuss this with their doctor or medical team as soon as possible. It helps those who manage the patient’s care along with those who work alongside them. It offers a sense of relief for those involved as well as the patient because they know what they can expect from this type of professional support and self-care.
