Difference Between Home Health Care, Hospice, and Palliative Care
Physician’s Choice Hospice is a leading provider of end-of-life care services brought to each patient wherever they live. There exist different types of home care services that help a patient live comfortably in his home. However, there’s a great deal of confusion among people when it comes to home health care, hospice care, and palliative care.
While these terms may overlap and morph into one another as the patient progresses, there is a distinct difference that separates these terms
Home Health Care
Just as it sounds, home health care is delivered in the comfort of your home. The patient is visited by nurses, doctors, home health care aides, and volunteers to help treat an illness, chronic condition or an injury.
Some of the examples of home health care services include but are not limited to:
Physical rehabilitation
Wound care
Intravenous or nutrition therapy
Speech therapy
Patient and caregiver education
Pain management
Dietary assistance
Monitoring of serious illness
Care coordination and communication
Monitoring of blood pressure, heart rate, temperature, and breathing
Supervising of prescriptions and other medications
The goal of home health care services is to treat an illness or injury, help a patient regain their independence. Get better and become self-sufficient as fast as possible. Patients who choose home health care services are assigned a team of physical therapists, nurses, home health aide, and social workers
Palliative Care
Palliative care is a component of hospice care as well as is provided within home health care services. This is the reason why some people get confused.
Palliative care addresses symptoms, maximize the quality of life, and help relieve pain. Palliative care is often seen as another layer of help for patients who are receiving curative treatments.
Palliative care is specially focused on patients living with serious illness and needs relief from the symptoms and stress of a serious illness. The goal of palliative care services is to enhance the quality of life for both the patient and caregiver.
Anyone at any stage of the illness can choose palliative care along with curative treatment
Hospice Care
When a patient has six months or less to live, the doctor may recommend transitioning to hospice care. However, a patient is not required to wait for the doctor to recommend hospice care as you can research the healthcare options available to you and make a well-informed decision.
Hospice care is specifically designed for patients who are terminally ill and do not want to undertake curative treatments. The focus of hospice care workers is to provide pain management, psychosocial support, symptom control, and spiritual care to the patient and their loved ones when the illness cannot be cured.
According to the Hospice and Palliative Care Association of New York State, the nation’s hospices serve more than 1.5 million people every year and their family caregivers, as well.
Hospice care focus on caring rather than curing. A patient can opt for hospice care at home, in a nursing home, or even in a hospice facility.
While many people believe that hospice is only for those in the final moment of life, studies have shown that hospice care is more effective in manage pain and symptoms when delivered at an early stage.
Still Confused? Get in touch with Physician’s Choice Hospice care professionals so that we can help you distinguish which options are the best for your loved one.
Whether you need hospice care, palliative care or home health care services, we will connect you with the care you need right now!
