What Is Continuous Home Care
Continuous Home Care is a hospice service designed for patients who are experiencing a medical crisis with uncontrolled or severe symptoms (pain, breathing difficulties, agitation, etc.). It offers care for 8 to 24 hours in a 24-hour period at home. The care must be predominantly nursing care (by RNs or LPNs) with aides or homemaker staff supplementing when needed.
This service involves having a nurse at the home for an extended period, usually a minimum
of 8 hours during a 24-hour period. They can help deliver hands-on care and help with any
issues. This service is only seen as a temporary measure during a particularly bad period for
the patient to help return them to a more stable condition so they can stay with routine home
care.
Its main aim is to provide urgent, intensive symptom management during a crisis to avoid hospitalization and maintain comfort and dignity. During such times, a patient’s condition demands frequent assessments, medicine adjustments, monitoring, and possibly aides for personal care.
This service can help with:
- Providing continuous bedside care to manage symptoms like breathing difficulties
and pain management. - Administering medications to help stabilize the patient.
- Creating a personalized care plan to help with physical, emotional, and spiritual needs.
- Working together with other healthcare professionals to adjust the care plan as
needed. - Make sure the patient remains at home, surrounded by their loved ones.
Key Features of Continuous Home Care Hospice
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
This type of care is typically offered when a patient is experiencing a medical crisis or severe symptom episode, such as uncontrolled pain, breathing difficulties, agitation, or nausea that cannot be managed with routine visits alone. The hospice team provides continuous support until the symptoms are brought under control.
While Routine Home Care provides scheduled visits from nurses, aides, and caregivers, Continuous Home Care involves 24-hour nursing presence during periods of crisis. Once symptoms stabilize, care usually transitions back to routine hospice visits.
Not exactly. Continuous Home Care is part of the Medicare-defined hospice benefit, focusing on medical symptom management under a physician-directed hospice plan. Private nursing care, on the other hand, may include personal or non-medical assistance and is not typically covered by hospice insurance benefits.
A dedicated hospice team delivers Continuous Home Care including registered nurses (RNs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs), hospice aides, and on-call medical directors. The team works together to monitor symptoms, administer medications, and provide comfort 24/7 until stabilization.
Continuous Home Care is provided for as long as the patient experiences a medical crisis requiring constant supervision. It may last a few hours, days, or longer depending on the patient’s condition and response to treatment. Once symptoms are controlled, care levels are adjusted to match the patient’s ongoing needs.
Continuous Home Care is provided wherever the patient calls home whether it’s a private residence, assisted living community, or nursing home. The goal is to ensure that patients receive intensive medical care without needing hospital admission.
Yes. Medicare, Medicaid, and most private insurance plans cover Continuous Home Care as one of the four levels of hospice care (Routine, Continuous, Inpatient, and Respite). There are no additional charges to families for this elevated level of care if the patient qualifies under hospice guidelines.
Continuous Home Care Hospice: Comprehensive Guide for Patients & Families
Continuous Home Care Hospice (sometimes called continuous care at home or crisis care) is a specialized level of hospice care that provides intensive, around-the-clock support in the home during periods of acute symptoms. Its goal is to help patients stay comfortable, safe, and symptom-managed without the need for hospitalization when their condition worsens.
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