What Is Hospice Care at Home? Services, Benefits, and Eligibility

Hospice care services are determined on a case-by-case basis. A care team assesses a senior’s needs and provides certain services, including:^[01]

• Home visits from a hospice physician, nurse, social worker, home care aide, and spiritual advisor
• Pain management services, including medication and therapy
• Medical equipment and supplies, like mobility devices, oxygen, hospital-style beds, and bandages
• Physical or occupational therapy
• Dietary counseling
• Short-term respite care for family caregivers
• Grief counseling for the senior and their family

Many seniors may opt to receive hospice care in their own home. However, hospice can also be provided in skilled nursing facilities, hospitals, some senior living facilities, or in designated hospice centers. The services available will depend on a senior’s needs, regardless of where the care is provided.

Read more:6 Little-Known Facts About Hospice Care at Assisted Living Facilities

Is home care the right fit?

Hospice care at home is person-centered and gives seniors the opportunity to remain in a comfortable and familiar setting during their last days. In-home hospice care provides the following benefits that focus on individualized support for a patient and their family.^[01]

Access to a care team to provide assistance for the senior and their family

This multi-disciplinary team works together to provide emotional, medical, and spiritual care through frequent visits and 24-hour phone support. A hospice care team may include a senior’s doctor, nurses, volunteers, care aides, therapists, and a spiritual or religious advisor.

In-home equipment and amenities to help enhance accessibility and comfort

Home hospice care providers can supply special equipment — like hospital-style beds, shower benches, and bedside toilets — when necessary. This equipment, generally available in a medical setting, can help improve your loved one’s comfort and quality of life at home.

Training and support for family

Families may be responsible for many aspects of their loved one’s daily care during hospice. A hospice care team can provide family members with the training necessary to help a loved one with activities of daily living like dressing, bathing, and toileting. Respite care is another benefit of hospice care because it allows family caregivers time away from caregiving to recharge emotionally and physically. The hospice care team also provides grief counseling to family.

Hospice care at home offers several benefits for a senior and their family but, depending on the senior’s condition, it can also take a physical and emotional toll on family. Consulting with a hospice provider can help you decide if hospice care at home is the best hospice option for your family.

Eligibility for home hospice care is dependent on a doctor’s opinion that a patient’s life expectancy is six months or less. However, hospice can be renewed if a senior lives longer than the expected six months.

Your loved one’s doctor may suggest hospice care following a hospital stay or failed course of treatment. Some seniors would prefer to die at home, even if they have been living in a senior care community. In this case, home hospice care is a good option.

Eligibility for hospice care at home requires the following:^[01]

• Your loved one’s doctor certifies that they are terminally ill and believes they have six months or fewer to live.
• Your relative or their medical power of attorney has decided to stop treatment intended to cure a disease or chronic condition, such as cancer or heart failure.
• Your loved one understands that their condition or illness is not responding to medical attempts to cure it and acknowledges that hospice is intended to provide comfort as the condition runs its natural course.

Once your family has determined that end-of-life care at home is the best choice, you can work with your loved one’s doctor to find a hospice provider and establish a care team.

Hospice care is typically covered by Medicare, VA benefits, and private insurance. If you don’t have insurance, there are many charitable organizations that offer hospice care services free of charge to people who qualify.

Read more:How Much Does Hospice Care at Home Cost?

Home care questions? Get expert help

Discussing end-of-life care with family and loved ones can be a challenging conversation. For information about hospice providers in your state, use the Hospice Foundation of America’s hospice directory. A Place for Mom doesn’t refer to hospice providers, but if you feel your family would benefit from home care services in addition to hospice care, our Senior Living Advisors can help connect you to home care agencies in your area.