End-of-life care can be an emotionally-driven experience for families. However, choosing in-home hospice care can reduce some of the stress and discomfort associated with facility-based care; both for seniors and their families.Â
Below, we’ve summarized six benefits families can expect from choosing in-home hospice care, as well as a few tips to ease the transition from other care types. Read on to learn more.Â
Six Benefits of In-Home Hospice Care
There are many benefits families and patients can expect from in-home hospice care, including:
Personalized, 1:1 Care
Institutional hospice settings may not allow for the same degree of tailored support that a patient could receive in the home hospice setting. Beyond the 1:1 support, in-home aides and nurses can take the time needed to truly know a patient and understand their likes and dislikes; allowing them to give a better patient experience than patients might find at a hospice center.Â
Increased Patient ComfortÂ
Being referred for hospice care can be extremely emotional for patients. Some might feel anxious and overwhelmed, while others might feel very sad or angry. These negative emotional experiences can be amplified when the patient is put in an unfamiliar setting, like a hospice home.Â
By allowing the patient to receive care in the comfort of their own homes, patients might feel more able and willing to go through with the entirety of the treatment plan. They could also experience reduced emotional stress as a result.Â
Increased Family Involvement in Care
Going to a secondary location to support a family member on hospice may not be feasible for some families. In-house hospice services to patients could lay the groundwork for a higher degree of family involvement and a healthier overall emotional state over the duration of their loved one’s care. These factors have been scientifically suggested to be critical for patient outcomes.Â
Increased Patient AutonomyÂ
Rather than feeling overwhelmed by the hospice care process, home hospice allows patients to feel more in control and autonomous as they work through facets of their care plans with their team. This alone can have a positive ripple effect on a patient’s ability to stress-manage and on their emotional state through the conclusion of their care — all while enhancing their current quality of life.Â
Proactive Protection for Patient DignityÂ
Many patients might feel as if their individual dignity is stripped from them in traditional institutional care settings, especially as they’re surrounded by call lights, odd noises, and other patients on their own healthcare journeys. Remaining at home for the duration of hospice care enables patients to feel as if their dignity has been proactively protected, giving them the privacy and space they need to process the transition.
Peripheral Family Training and SupportÂ
In an institutional care setting, there is typically a primary caregiver and a team of holistic specialists on a patient’s case. While the same is true in a home hospice setting, there’s a critical difference: family helpers. By remaining at home for the duration of their hospice care, a patient receives the added benefit of peripheral training of friends and family members — growing the care team and possibly improving the patient’s experience through the duration of their care.Â
Making the Transition: From Traditional Care to Hospice CareÂ
Beyond the emotional highs and lows that can surround a hospice care transition, there are also several often-unanswered questions.Â
Who will support the patient? What care does the patient need to be the most comfortable through the conclusion of the care plan? Who will arrange all of the logistical details associated with the patient’s case?Â
Below, we’ve offered a few tips to ease the transition — both for friends and family members, and for the patient.Â
1. Finalize Logistical Steps Before Moving ForwardÂ
Building the path forward while simultaneously seeking patient care can create more stress and less productive support; both for patients and family members. It’s generally best to arrange all parts of the patient’s holistic care needs before any movement forward is made to avoid any unnecessary transitional stress or strain.Â
If you need home hospice care support, United Hospice has put together a directory of home hospice care options in your area.Â
2. Consider the Emotional and Spiritual Needs of the PatientÂ
Often, the physical care needs of the patient are prioritized over their spiritual and emotional care needs. As you plan and move forward, consider all aspects of the patient and what they are experiencing, offering proactive support along the way.Â
3. Remain ConsistentÂ
Emotions can run high when it comes to hospice care, and so can the stress that comes along with the complex medical support needed for most cases. In these situations, it’s best to remain as consistent as possible for the patient’s sake, seeking structure and routine wherever possible to minimize the unknown.Â
In-home hospice care offers a gentle and respectful approach to end-of-life care, with many benefits for seniors and their families. Choosing in-home care allows patients to stay in a familiar and comfortable environment, receive personalized attention, and keep their independence. Families can be more involved in their loved one’s care, helping create a supportive and calm atmosphere.Â
To make the transition to hospice care smoother, it’s important to plan for all the patient’s needs—both physical and emotional. By doing so, patients can spend their final days with dignity, surrounded by the people and things they love most.
