2.6 In-Home Care
Brandon Censon MPH, CPH, RRT-NPS, CPFT, CPT
Home Health Care
Home health care is medical or other supportive care provided in a patient’s home rather than in a healthcare facility. The type of care varies greatly and is provided by a wide range of healthcare professionals. Common conditions among patients receiving home health care services include chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart disease, chronic kidney disease, diabetes, stroke, and Alzheimer’s or dementia. Providers of home health care include nurses, physical therapists, speech therapists, occupational therapists, and medical social service providers. Additional services may include checking vital signs, pain assessments, medication management, monitoring nutrition, assistance with basic hygiene, ensuring home safety, and providing oxygen therapy and home ventilator care.
In addition to the convenience of receiving care at home, home health care is often much less expensive than care provided in a hospital or skilled nursing facility and can be equally effective. As part of home health care, family members are encouraged to participate in developing the patient’s care plan with the home healthcare team.
In-Home Hospice
In-home hospice care supports patients and their loved ones when a patient chooses to spend their final days at home. The goals of hospice care differ greatly than those of traditional in-home care, focusing on patient comfort rather than curing a disease or other condition. Generally, hospice care is provided when a person has an estimated life expectancy of 6 months or less. The team-oriented approach that hospice provides involves various experts in pain management and social support. The hospice care plan is tailored to a patient’s needs and preferences, allowing them to spend their remaining time with loved ones and focus on what matters most to them.