When a family member is diagnosed with limited life expectancy, he or she often has a strong desire to spend the final days in the comfort of home. However, caring for a loved one at the end of life can be emotionally challenging and physically exhausting.

First In Care Home Health Agency can support you and your loved one by working with a hospice agency or medical provider to fully meet the family’s needs. We will help care for your loved one, as well as assist around the house and provide the family with emotional and moral support. The end of one’s life is a challenging time, but home care services can lessen stress for everyone involved.

Many families believe they need to choose between hospice or home care when looking for the best in-home service for their loved one. Fortunately, that isn’t the case. There are times when the best way to care for your loved one is to provide them with both hospice, and home care. Understanding the difference in professions helps determine the most fitting way to keep your family comfortable and at ease.

We can provide comforting care for your loved one and assist the family during this difficult time.

What is Hospice?

Hospice caregivers provide both medical and emotional support for those with terminal illnesses. Generally, hospice is hired to aid family members with six months or less to live as ruled by a physician. Hospice treatment often occurs during the final stages of life and is focused on addressing pain and sickness systems. Loved ones with terminal illnesses have the ability to pay for services through Medicare or Medicaid.

Care takes place within the familiarity of your loved ones home to ensure comfort and convenience for the entire family. Hospice typically visits your loved ones home for 1-2 hours a day to tend to specific medical needs. A team of professionals manages medical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs. Services include:

  • Skilled nursing assistance
  • Medical equipment and supplies
  • Spiritual guidance
  • Trained volunteers

What is Home Care?

Similar to hospice, home care is centered around providing assistance for a loved one within the safety of their own home. While hospice is focused on serving terminally ill patients, home caregivers tend to those with chronic illnesses, disabilities, recovering from surgery, and simply to aging family members who desire extra assistance. Generally, care occurs for several months after a hospital stay but lasts as long as the family and caregiver agree upon to best support your loved one.

The goal of home care is to assist with daily activities, rather than solely tending to medical needs. The health care journey includes restorative treatment and rehabilitation to guide your loved one back into independent living. A home care professional provides a helping hand with everyday activities such as:

  • Grooming and bathing
  • Medication reminders
  • Running errands (grocery shopping, prescription pick-up)
  • Transportation
  • Movement and mobility

Do I Need Hospice and Home Care?

The comfort and care of your loved one is always our first priority. Each person’s needs are unique, and in some circumstances, the best relief occurs when hospice and home care professionals are hired. Both professions carry great expertise in their respective roles. The main difference is the services provided, as mentioned above. If your loved one needs specialized medical care and assistance with daily activities than it’d be best to hire both hospice and home health care. Depending on a patient’s needs, both hospice and home care should be hired to provide a unique comprehensive solution.

How First In Care Can Help

Our ultimate goal with end-of-life care is to provide assistance and comfort to your loved one and to help families make the most of their limited time together.

We help by providing:

  • bathing, dressing, and toileting assistance
  • light house cleaning
  • laundry as needed
  • meal preparation
  • companionship to your loved one so you can get a needed break

We can also continue to help after your loved one’s passing. Our team or caregivers can help families deal with the sadness and loss and assist with chores such as organizing personal items and moving belongings. We can even simply provide a listening ear if family members need to talk and process their grief.

We train our caregivers to demonstrate both compassion and professionalism, providing reassurance during the many hardships that come with the end of life. Contact us to learn more about how our in-home care services can be of assistance to you and your family.