What Is Palliative Care at Home?

Palliative care at home involves providing comprehensive medical, emotional and spiritual support to individuals with serious illnesses in the comfort of their homes. This type of care focuses on improving quality of life by alleviating pain and other symptoms and supporting patients and their families through difficult times.

Palliative care helps individuals manage symptoms and maintain the best quality of life as they deal with serious, often chronic, illnesses. Unlike hospice care, which families typically contract for end-of-life situations, palliative care stands as an option at any stage of a serious illness. It often incorporates curative treatments and aims to reduce symptoms such as pain, fatigue and shortness of breath. Palliative care teams typically consist of multidisciplinary professionals, including doctors, nurses, social workers and chaplains. These individuals work together to create a personalized care plan that meets the patient's holistic needs.

Palliative care helps individuals living with chronic conditions, cognitive impairments, neurodegenerative disorders and serious illnesses, including:

• Cancer
• Blood and bone marrow disorders
• Heart disease
• Cystic fibrosis
• Dementia
• End-stage liver disease
• Kidney failure
• Lung disease
• Parkinson's disease
• Stroke

Home-based palliative care provides comprehensive symptom management, including pain relief and assistance with complications, such as breathing difficulties, fatigue and nausea, that accompany serious illnesses. Beyond addressing physical symptoms, palliative care offers emotional and spiritual support, helping families cope with the psychological impact of illness.

Coordinating palliative care at home offers many benefits. Studies show that individuals receiving palliative care at home often experience an improved quality of life and greater satisfaction with their care. Receiving support in a comfortable and familiar environment can significantly reduce stress and anxiety for patients and their family members. Palliative care at home also typically promotes better coordination of care and helps providers make patient-centered decisions. By working closely with an individual's existing health care providers, this approach can lead to fewer hospital visits and better overall health outcomes.

When considering home-based palliative care, speak with your loved one's primary care physician so you understand the scope of services available. These can range from regular health care visits to 24/7 on-call support and assistance with daily activities such as bathing. Palliative care teams also provide guidance on medication management and help families navigate the complexities of making health care decisions for loved ones.

Family caregivers play a crucial role in home-based palliative care, often acting as the patient's primary support system. Resources and training are available to help individuals manage responsibilities, maintain well-being and prevent caregiver burnout. Organizations such as AARP offer valuable information about caregiving and access to local resources.