What Are the Advantages of End-of-life Care At Home?
Written by:
Jeffrey Grossman
Published:
March 14th, 2022
When a loved one gets diagnosed with a terminal illness, you might have to make decisions about their end-of-life care. Maybe you're wondering if you have to send your loved one to live their final days in a nursing home. Or maybe you're asking yourself, "Can I find the right in-home palliative care near me?"
Thinking about end-of-life care can be an emotional and daunting task. But with the right information, you can find an end-of-life at-home care solution that provides your loved one with the care they need. Today, we’re here to help you navigate this complicated and emotional time by answering common questions like:
Can you get hospice care at home?
Can you get palliative care at home?
What are the benefits of 24-hour in-home palliative care?
What’s the difference between hospice care and palliative home care services?
What’s more affordable: end-of-life care at home or facility-based care?
How easily can you get palliative care at home?
If you’re considering in-home palliative or hospice care, there are lots of factors to keep in mind. Let’s start by talking about the benefits of palliative care at home.
What Are The Benefits Of Palliative Care in the Home Setting?
End-of-life care is an emotional subject for many. It’s an unfortunate reality that many families face. If your aging loved one is living with a serious illness, arranging for end-of-life care at home may be on your mind. There are many benefits to palliative home care services, so here are just a few to get you started as you look into it:
Palliative care at home is more affordable than a facility or hospital-based long-term care.
In-home palliative care services are provided in the comfort of familiar surroundings. Your loved one won’t need to adjust to a new place, a new routine, or new people in their final stage of life.
24-hour palliative care at home is more personalized to your loved one’s final wishes and allows them to retain their dignity during their final days.
You’ll want to keep these advantages of in-home palliative care services in mind when considering a facility vs. home care.
How Does Having End-of-Life Care At Home Benefit Other Family Members?
Beyond the benefits for a loved one, in-home palliative care services also provide comforting benefits to families. When your loved one receives palliative care at home, this difficult stage becomes a little easier for everyone. Family members have 24/7 access to their loved one and can easily stay in communication with the care provider. You don’t have to wait for a nurse or doctor to call you back for important updates. You also don’t have to abide by facility visiting hours because your loved one is in a private family home. Palliative home care services provide convenient access for your family members—there are no restricted visiting hours with in-home care.
In-home elder care solutions in Charlottesville, Richmond, Williamsburg, VA and Charleston, SC.
What’s The Difference Between Hospice Care and Palliative Care?
Hospice care and palliative care are important parts of end-of-life care, especially if your loved one is terminally ill or in the final stages of their life. You may be wondering,
Can you get hospice care at home?
Can you get palliative care at home?
Yes, both hospice and palliative care can be provided at home or in a nursing or assisted living facility and both provide comfort. However, they serve very different purposes.
Palliative Care
Palliative care is compassionate comfort care that can begin when a person receives a terminal illness or other serious, chronic diagnosis. It can also be provided at the same time as curative treatment and when a person is at the end of their life.Ultimately, palliative care aims to provide relief from the symptoms of a serious illness, as well as the physical and mental stress of a chronic or life-limiting diagnosis. Palliative care is available at the time of diagnosis, during curative treatment, and at the end of life.
Hospice Care
Hospice care is compassionate care given without curative intent. It’s provided at the end stage of life, usually when an individual has six months or less to live. Often, hospice care begins after treatment stops and when it’s clear that the person won’t survive the illness.
What Services Are Offered with Palliative Care at Home?
With 24-hour palliative care at home, a variety of services may be provided to your loved one, such as:
Basic living activities and chores
Help with moving around the house
Assistance with preparing and eating meals
Aid with personal hygiene (bathing, washing hair, brushing teeth)
Support to remain active
Relief through medications, treatment, and pain management
Emotional support and companionship
An in-home care provider might also drive your family member to medical appointments and treatments, schedule social visits, and do other tasks to promote the safety, comfort, and well-being of your family member throughout the end of their life.
Is End-of-Life Care At Home More Affordable Than Facility-based Care?
A patient can receive palliative care or hospice care in a long-term care facility. However, if you choose this option, it’s important to know that:
Your loved one (or you) will have to pay out-of-pocket for room and board, plus the 24-hour care given in a nursing home or assisted living facility.
Facility-based care can cost as much as $5,000 per month.
Medicare places limits on how long end-of-life care services will be provided in a facility. (Other insurances may also place limits on services.)
Medicare doesn’t cover benefits for nursing home stays that exceed 100 days. A terminally ill patient will often be sent home for the end-of-life stage.
By choosing palliative care in the home setting, you eliminate the hefty price tag for room and board at a long-term care facility. Plus, your loved one will benefit greatly from receiving private care customized to their needs in a familiar setting.
Why Should I Choose 24-hour Palliative Care at Home For My Loved One?
One of the main reasons families choose end-of-life care at home is to provide their loved ones with the comfort of familiar surroundings. It’s more calming for a dying person to be in a familiar place. Everything else that’s happening to their mind and body can feel frightening and out of their control, so receiving 24-hour palliative care services at home brings your loved one peace of mind. Additionally, with palliative care in the home setting, your family member retains their privacy and dignity during their final days. They won’t be surrounded by strangers in a cold, clinical setting. They can face the final days and moments of life on their terms, and their end-of-life wishes will always be honored.
How Do I Find In-Home Palliative Care Near Me?
So, now that you understand the benefits of in-home palliative care services, you’re probably wondering how to get palliative care at home. When you’re ready to find end-of-life care for your loved one, try these methods to find the best option:
Complete a Google search using phrases like ”end of life care at home near me in Charlottesville (or your city name) or “the best 24-hour palliative care at home”
Ask your Medicare or insurance provider for local recommendations
Lean on your medical care team for recommendations on top in-home caregivers
Find professional and compassionate care providers through an agency like Commonwise Home Care
Find Comfort In Palliative Care At Home With Commonwise
The final stages of life for your loved one are already emotional. With palliative care at home your loved one can:
Live out their final days in comfort
Stay surrounded by family and loved ones
Maintain their end-of-life wishes and desired lifestyle
At Commonwise, our exceptionally trained care providers deliver compassionate care that honors a client’s wishes and those of the family. We believe in-home palliative care services should be affordable, comfortable, and personalized. Our focus is on providing a high level of physical care along with the emotional support necessary to help your loved one retain their dignity, even as they approach the end of their life. Contact us to talk to our compassionate team members who are ready to listen and help.
In-home elder care solutions in Charlottesville, Richmond, Williamsburg, VA and Charleston, SC.