When considering hospice, one of the first questions families have is: Where does hospice care take place?
Choosing hospice does not automatically mean moving into a hospice facility. At Three Oaks Hospice, care is provided wherever the patient already calls home, although in some situations, a patient may require or temporarily need care that is offered in an inpatient setting.
Whether hospice care takes place at home or in an inpatient facility, the goal remains the same: to provide comfort, manage symptoms and support the patient’s dignity and quality of life.
Where Can Hospice Care Be Provided?
Hospice is a type of care offering that can be provided in a multitude of settings. Depending on a patient’s living situation and care needs, hospice may be provided in:
- A private residence
- A family member’s home
- An assisted living community
- A nursing home or senior living community
- A hospital or inpatient hospice setting when medically appropriate
For hospice purposes, “home” can mean wherever the patient normally lives. Someone residing in an assisted living community or nursing home, for example, may still receive routine hospice care there.
Learn more about how and where hospice care can be provided
What Is In-Home Hospice Care?
In-home hospice care brings the hospice team to the patient rather than requiring the patient to relocate. For many patients, home hospice care offers the opportunity to remain in familiar surroundings while receiving physical, emotional and spiritual support.
Based on the patient’s individual plan of care, the hospice team may provide nursing visits, hospice aide services, pain and symptom management, medical equipment and medications related to the hospice diagnosis, social work services, spiritual support and caregiver education.
Family members, friends or other caregivers may provide much of the patient’s day-to-day care between hospice visits. In some cases, hospice care at home may consist of continuous, 24/7 care provided by hospice professionals. Either way, the hospice team provides education and guidance while helping caregivers understand what to expect and what to do when a patient’s needs change.
For many patients, home hospice care offers the opportunity to remain in familiar surroundings while receiving physical, emotional and spiritual support.
What Is Inpatient Hospice Care?
General inpatient hospice care is a more intensive level of hospice care intended for patients whose pain or other symptoms cannot currently be managed in their usual setting.
Inpatient hospice care may be provided in a hospital, skilled nursing facility or other approved inpatient setting. It may be needed when a patient experiences symptoms such as uncontrolled pain, severe breathing difficulties or other concerns that require more intensive symptom management.
General inpatient care is typically intended to address a specific need rather than serve as a permanent living arrangement. Once symptoms are brought under control, the patient may be able to return to the place they call home.
In-Home Hospice vs. Inpatient Hospice: What’s the Difference?
Both settings provide hospice care focused on comfort and quality of life, but how that care is delivered can differ.
A patient who lives in a nursing home or assisted living community is not necessarily receiving general inpatient hospice care. Hospice can often provide routine care in those environments just as it would in a private residence.
When Might In-Home Hospice Be a Good Fit?
There is no single hospice care setting that is right for every patient or family.
In-home hospice may be appropriate when a patient wants to remain in familiar surroundings, symptoms can be safely managed in that setting and there is sufficient caregiver support for day-to-day needs.
Families may want to consider the patient’s preferences, comfort with their surroundings, available support and whether their current environment can safely accommodate their care needs.
When Might Inpatient Hospice Care Be Needed?
Sometimes symptoms become difficult to manage in a patient’s usual care setting.
General inpatient hospice care may be appropriate for concerns such as uncontrolled pain, significant breathing difficulties, severe agitation or other symptoms requiring frequent interventions and closer clinical management.
The goal is to help bring those symptoms under control while keeping the patient’s comfort at the center of care. When the patient’s symptoms can once again be managed in their usual setting, they may transition back there.
Because hospice needs can change, the appropriate level of care can change as well.
Choosing the Right Hospice Care Setting
When deciding where hospice care should take place, families can consider several important questions:
- What does the patient want?
- Where does the patient feel most comfortable?
- What symptoms and care needs are present?
- What caregiver support is available?
- Is the current setting safe and accessible?
- What does the hospice care team recommend?
These decisions do not always need to be permanent. A patient’s needs may change throughout hospice care, and the hospice team can help patients and families understand which level of care is appropriate at different points along the way.
To learn more about hospice care types and settings, see the four levels of hospice care.
Three Oaks Hospice Brings Care to Where You Call Home
At Three Oaks Hospice, we believe comfort, dignity and quality of life should remain at the center of end-of-life care.
Our team provides compassionate hospice support wherever a patient calls home, whether that is a private residence, a loved one’s home, an assisted living community, a nursing home or another care setting. We work closely with patients, families and caregivers to create an individualized plan of care and coordinate the appropriate level of support as needs change.
If you are considering hospice and are unsure which care setting may be right for you or your loved one, Three Oaks Hospice is here to help. Learn more about our hospice admissions process or contact our team to discuss your options.
When considering hospice, one of the first questions families have is: Where does hospice care take place?
Choosing hospice does not automatically mean moving into a hospice facility. At Three Oaks Hospice, care is provided wherever the patient already calls home, although in some situations, a patient may require or temporarily need care that is offered in an inpatient setting.
Whether hospice care takes place at home or in an inpatient facility, the goal remains the same: to provide comfort, manage symptoms and support the patient’s dignity and quality of life.
Where Can Hospice Care Be Provided?
Hospice is a type of care offering that can be provided in a multitude of settings. Depending on a patient’s living situation and care needs, hospice may be provided in:
- A private residence
- A family member’s home
- An assisted living community
- A nursing home or senior living community
- A hospital or inpatient hospice setting when medically appropriate
For hospice purposes, “home” can mean wherever the patient normally lives. Someone residing in an assisted living community or nursing home, for example, may still receive routine hospice care there.
Learn more about how and where hospice care can be provided
What Is In-Home Hospice Care?
In-home hospice care brings the hospice team to the patient rather than requiring the patient to relocate. For many patients, home hospice care offers the opportunity to remain in familiar surroundings while receiving physical, emotional and spiritual support.
Based on the patient’s individual plan of care, the hospice team may provide nursing visits, hospice aide services, pain and symptom management, medical equipment and medications related to the hospice diagnosis, social work services, spiritual support and caregiver education.
Family members, friends or other caregivers may provide much of the patient’s day-to-day care between hospice visits. In some cases, hospice care at home may consist of continuous, 24/7 care provided by hospice professionals. Either way, the hospice team provides education and guidance while helping caregivers understand what to expect and what to do when a patient’s needs change.
For many patients, home hospice care offers the opportunity to remain in familiar surroundings while receiving physical, emotional and spiritual support.
What Is Inpatient Hospice Care?
General inpatient hospice care is a more intensive level of hospice care intended for patients whose pain or other symptoms cannot currently be managed in their usual setting.
Inpatient hospice care may be provided in a hospital, skilled nursing facility or other approved inpatient setting. It may be needed when a patient experiences symptoms such as uncontrolled pain, severe breathing difficulties or other concerns that require more intensive symptom management.
General inpatient care is typically intended to address a specific need rather than serve as a permanent living arrangement. Once symptoms are brought under control, the patient may be able to return to the place they call home.
In-Home Hospice vs. Inpatient Hospice: What’s the Difference?
Both settings provide hospice care focused on comfort and quality of life, but how that care is delivered can differ.
A patient who lives in a nursing home or assisted living community is not necessarily receiving general inpatient hospice care. Hospice can often provide routine care in those environments just as it would in a private residence.
When Might In-Home Hospice Be a Good Fit?
There is no single hospice care setting that is right for every patient or family.
In-home hospice may be appropriate when a patient wants to remain in familiar surroundings, symptoms can be safely managed in that setting and there is sufficient caregiver support for day-to-day needs.
Families may want to consider the patient’s preferences, comfort with their surroundings, available support and whether their current environment can safely accommodate their care needs.
When Might Inpatient Hospice Care Be Needed?
Sometimes symptoms become difficult to manage in a patient’s usual care setting.
General inpatient hospice care may be appropriate for concerns such as uncontrolled pain, significant breathing difficulties, severe agitation or other symptoms requiring frequent interventions and closer clinical management.
The goal is to help bring those symptoms under control while keeping the patient’s comfort at the center of care. When the patient’s symptoms can once again be managed in their usual setting, they may transition back there.
Because hospice needs can change, the appropriate level of care can change as well.
Choosing the Right Hospice Care Setting
When deciding where hospice care should take place, families can consider several important questions:
- What does the patient want?
- Where does the patient feel most comfortable?
- What symptoms and care needs are present?
- What caregiver support is available?
- Is the current setting safe and accessible?
- What does the hospice care team recommend?
These decisions do not always need to be permanent. A patient’s needs may change throughout hospice care, and the hospice team can help patients and families understand which level of care is appropriate at different points along the way.
To learn more about hospice care types and settings, see the four levels of hospice care.
Three Oaks Hospice Brings Care to Where You Call Home
At Three Oaks Hospice, we believe comfort, dignity and quality of life should remain at the center of end-of-life care.
Our team provides compassionate hospice support wherever a patient calls home, whether that is a private residence, a loved one’s home, an assisted living community, a nursing home or another care setting. We work closely with patients, families and caregivers to create an individualized plan of care and coordinate the appropriate level of support as needs change.
If you are considering hospice and are unsure which care setting may be right for you or your loved one, Three Oaks Hospice is here to help. Learn more about our hospice admissions process or contact our team to discuss your options.
