In-home hospice care can give your loved one more control over their end-of-life care. They can remain in the comfort of their own home, surrounded by friends, family, and their own belongings. Many people prefer to stay out of hospitals or hospice facilities in the last months of their life.

If your loved one would be more comfortable at home, an in-home hospice caregiver can make sure they have the physical, mental, and spiritual support they need to keep them safe, comfortable, and pain-free in the end stages of their life.

What Is In-Home Hospice Care?

In-home hospice care is around the clock care provided in the end stages of life. In-home hospice caregivers are a team of registered nurses, medical specialists, and doctors who provide specialized medical care in the comfort of the home. They offer medication administration, medical services, pain management, and comfort care to ensure your loved one remains safe and comfortable. Services are designed to enhance quality of life, manage pain, and meet your loved one’s wishes for end-of-life care.

Levels of In-Home Hospice Care

There are four levels of in-home hospice care. You and your loved one can determine which is necessary based on their needs and prognosis:

Routine Care – Routine home hospice care is ideal for families who can provide some level of family caregiving services for their loved one and don’t need around-the-clock hospice care. This type of care is for people who are stable and need medical services, medication administration, medical monitoring, and home healthcare services that are beyond what the family can provide on their own but don’t require inpatient hospice care.

Continuous Care – Continuous hospice care is for people who need specialized nursing care from a registered nurse, hospice aide, or in-home caregiver. This is around-the-clock or 24/7 hospice care provided by a team who works in shifts.

Inpatient Care – Inpatient care is hospice care that is provided in an assisted living hospice care facility or a hospital. These services are necessary for people who can’t receive care at home.

Respite Care – Respite care services are occasional or as-needed services that provide respite and support for family caregivers. Respite care is short-term and allows family caregivers to take a break to decompress, focus on their own physical and mental health, and avoid caregiver burnout.

How Do You Know When Your Loved One Needs In-Home Hospice Care?

Your loved one’s physician will typically recommend hospice care if your loved one has six months or less to live and curative care will no longer be effective. Hospice care focuses on maintaining the comfort and quality of life of a patient who has a serious, terminal illness and is approaching the end of their life. If your loved one no longer wants to undergo medical treatment to slow the progression of their disease or attempt to cure it, they may be ready for hospice care.

Benefits of In-Home Hospice Care

In-home hospice care allows your loved one to remain safe, comfortable, and pain-free throughout the end of their life. In-home hospice care offers the following benefits:

Emotional and spiritual support and access to resources
Help with personal hygiene and activities of daily living
Enhanced comfort and security
Respite care for family caregivers
Access to medical equipment and services in the comfort of home
Pain management and palliative care
Increased family involvement with no need to adhere to visiting hours
Highly personalized care, services, and support

Choosing Between In-Home Care and Assisted Living Hospice Care

You and your loved one should work together to decide if they would be more comfortable in a facility or in their own home. Many people would prefer to spend their last months of life in the comfort of their own home rather than in a medical facility; however, many factors may contribute to your decision. Your loved one may need assisted living hospice care if:

You and your family are no longer capable of meeting your loved one’s needs in the home.
The house is not safe for your loved one.
You can’t afford the upgrades or added medical equipment to support end-of-life care.
Your loved one is a danger to themselves or others due to symptoms of their disease.
Your loved one’s health has declined to the point that in-home care is not safe or feasible.
Your loved one needs more complex medical care or medical services than can be provided in the home.
Your loved one needs around-the-clock care from specialists.
Your loved one needs access to medical equipment that cannot be installed safely in your home.

Services Provided by In-Home Hospice Care

Most people can customize the services they receive from in-home hospice caregivers. The services your loved one needs depend on their disease, its progression, their prognosis, and their wishes for end-of-life care. In-home hospice caregivers can offer:

Skilled Nursing Care – Your hospice caregiver will provide your loved one with skilled nursing services, around-the-clock monitoring, and medical care as needed. They can administer medication that prevents pain and manages symptoms as well as provide wound care and medical monitoring.

Pain and Symptom Management – Your loved one’s caregiving team will ensure your loved one remains pain-free through the end of their life. They will create a pain management plan and administer medication and provide medical services that alleviate symptoms so your loved one remains comfortable.

Medical Services and Medication Administration – In-home hospice caregivers can provide medical services that alleviate symptoms and medication that relieves pain.

Health Monitoring – Hospice caregivers can monitor your loved one’s health and adjust their services as needed to keep your loved one comfortable and pain-free.

Medical Equipment and Supplies – The home hospice care agency will make sure you have the medical equipment and supplies needed for your loved one’s end-of-life care. This includes medication, oxygen tanks, monitoring equipment, hospital beds, and mobility aids.

Personal Care Assistance – Hospice caregivers can provide assistance with the tasks of daily living like bathing, dressing, toileting, and grooming.

Companionship and Support – In-home hospice caregivers also provide companionship and support to you and your loved one. They can direct you to emotional, social, and psychosocial support resources like counseling groups, support groups, and spiritual guidance.

24/7 Support – In-home caregivers offer 24/7 support and can handle emergencies as they arise.

Schedule a Consultation for In-Home Hospice Care Services in Arizona

If your loved one is ready for hospice care but wants to stay out of a hospice facility, our compassionate caregivers at Placita In Home Care can help. We offer highly personalized in-home hospice care services throughout Southern Arizona. We will make sure your loved one is comfortable, safe, and cared for according to their end-of-life wishes.

Our highly experienced and trained caregivers work together to make sure your loved one and family have everything they need. We also offer complimentary assisted living hospice care placement services to help you find inpatient hospice care if that is what your loved one wants. Call us now or contact us online to schedule a consultation.