Types of Hospice care

Routine Home Care is the cornerstone of hospice services. It is designed to support patients in the comfort of their own homes or a familiar care facility. This level of care focuses on managing symptoms, relieving pain, and making sure the patients’ and families’ needs are all met. Choosing routine home care allows patients to remain comfortable in a familiar environment, always surrounded by their loved ones, but also receiving support that is suited to their needs.

A personalized care plan will be developed with the patient, their family, and whoever else needs to be involved. The hospice team, which could be nurses, social workers, or health aides, will visit regularly to see how the patient is doing. They will help manage symptoms and provide whatever support is needed. The end goal is to improve the quality of life.

This service can help with:

• Regularly monitoring the patient’s health to manage symptoms.
• Coordinating medications and medical supplies to make sure they are correctly delivered.
• Creating a personalized care plan to help with physical, emotional, and spiritual needs.
• Providing support to family members and caregivers.
• Offering counseling to both the patient and the family.

Continuous Home Care is an intensive service provided during periods when the patient's
symptoms become quite severe, and they may need around-the-clock care. This level of
care can be crucial for helping stabilize their condition and prevent them from going into
hospital or full-time care. The aim is to make sure that the patient's comfort is maintained as
well as possible and symptoms are managed.

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.

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.

Hospice inpatient care provides intensive, round-the-clock care in a specialized facility for
patients experiencing severe symptoms or pain that cannot be effectively managed at home.
This level of care is designed to offer comfort and support in a controlled environment where
a dedicated team of healthcare professionals is available 24/7. The goal is to stabilize the
patient's condition, provide symptom relief, and ensure the highest quality of life during this
critical time.

This service can help with:

• Managing severe pain and symptoms that require close monitoring and complex
  interventions.
• Delivering specialized medical care in a controlled setting to address acute needs.
• Offering emotional and spiritual support to both the patient and their loved ones.
• Ensuring a safe and comfortable environment where the patient’s needs are met with
  compassion and expertise.
• Facilitating end-of-life care in a dignified and peaceful setting.

Respite Care is a very important service. It is designed to give the main caregivers a break
from the responsibilities of looking after their loved ones for a period of time. This usually
takes place in a hospice facility or out of the home to give the caregiver a rest so that they
can relax and recharge. Respite care is essential to prevent caregiver burnout so that they
can come back and provide high-quality care over the long term.

While the patient is on respite, they receive the same kind of care that they would get at
home. The focus is the same maintaining the patient's comfort and dignity and managing
their symptoms. This respite care is only a short-term solution, but it gives the caregivers
peace of mind knowing their loved one is being cared for.

This service can help with:

• Providing short-term care in a hospice for up to 5 days.
• Manage the patient’s symptoms and make sure they are comfortable.
• Give caregivers a much-needed break to rest and recharge. This allows them to
  focus on their own tasks and responsibilities or just recharge.
• Help with an easy transition back home after respite care.