When you have a serious illness, consider in-home care
Where you get care can be as important as the kind of care you get.
Being in your own home when you don’t feel good can be a big part of helping you feel better.
It’s why PeaceHealth offers home health care for patients and families facing long-term and serious illnesses.
“We bring high-quality care directly to you,” says Josephine Jasmer, a supervisor at PeaceHealth Home Health, Hospice and Palliative Care. “You can get skilled in-home support after a disability, illness, injury, surgery or hospitalization. We also offer end-of-life planning and support for you and your family.”
Home and community services span several specialized fields of care, including: home health, palliative care and hospice care. They’re all overseen and/or delivered by doctors, nurse practitioners, therapists, medical social workers and other caregivers who specialize in meeting your health needs where you are most comfortable.
Home health: Recovering in comfort
Home health care lets you avoid going to the hospital for treatment that can be done in the comfort of your home. You can use these services for one-on-one help when you are:
- Recovering from being sick
- Rehabbing from surgery
- Healing from an injury
- Support in managing stresses of long-term health conditions
Our home health specialists also make sure your care plan works for you. Our team can teach you more about your condition and show you how to manage your medications.
We also coordinate services such as skilled nursing care, physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy for you. PeaceHealth teams handle the details so you can focus on getting the most out of your treatment.
"Home Health was an incredible help for both my mom and me," says Crystal Bailey, the daughter of a home care patient. "We used every service they offer. It not only contributed to my mom's recovery but also reduced my stress and anxiety."
Palliative care: Treating the whole person
At a high level, palliative care is medical care to ease the symptoms and stresses of a long-lasting health issue. On a deeper level, it’s about improving your quality of life and supporting the people who care about you.
Palliative care can be given along with treatments aimed at curing your condition. It is appropriate at any age or stage of illness. Some people use it when recovering from surgery or during cancer treatment. Others want help planning for end-of-life care or managing the anxiety that comes with a long illness.
“Palliative care isn’t only for people who are terminally ill. My husband, who had a chronic heart condition, lived more comfortably for 10 years thanks to this service,” says the wife of a past patient at PeaceHealth.
No matter your motivation, palliative care gives you access to a team of experts, so you and your family don’t have to make treatment decisions on your own. With a few possible exceptions, you also don’t have to go to the hospital to get support. PeaceHealth offers community-based palliative care. That means our services can be done at home or nearby.
Our services include:
- Help managing symptoms: We share ways to make you more comfortable. This may be with medication or techniques to address pain, fatigue, depression, difficulty sleeping and more.
- Personalized care plans: No two palliative care patients are the same. Our providers will take the time to understand your needs and adjust your care as they change.
- Coordinated care: Serious illnesses often mean lots of appointments and instructions to follow. You don’t have to do it alone. Our specialists help you keep track of your visits, prescriptions and other health care services. This coordinated approach means you’re less likely to go to the hospital or emergency room for care.
- Whole-person health: Your health includes your physical, mental and emotional well-being. To address all these needs, our palliative care teams include a social worker, doctor, nurse, chaplain and other specialists.
- Family support: Caring for a sick family member has an impact on caregivers, too. Palliative care is also for them. Our team can help you consider changes in family roles and expectations. We can also connect your loved ones with help for mental health and financial concerns.
Hospice: End-of-life care for mind, body and spirit
Hospice caregivers are specially trained providers who offer care tailored to people with a terminal illness that has a prognosis of months versus years. They provide 24/7 on call nursing.
If you or a loved one has a terminal illness, PeaceHealth Hospice offers many ways to support you in the transition toward end of life. They can help with:
- Pain and symptom management, including medication
- Physical, emotional and spiritual support
- Equipment and supplies needed for comfort
- Grief and bereavement support
“Our hospice team is on call 24/7. Hospice care can begin when you and your family feel it's right for you,” says Jasmer.
The team then delivers care wherever you live or choose to spend your final days. The three options are:
- In-home care at your house, assisted- or senior-living facility, or skilled-nursing home
- Short-term stays at a PeaceHealth-affiliated hospice house
- Hospital-based hospice care
The first option, in-home, is how many people get hospice care. A registered nurse serves as your case manager. They visit you at home several times a week and are on call around the clock. A nurse’s aide also comes a few times a week to help you with bathing and other personal care needs.
With in-home care, our team brings all the medicines and medical equipment you may need. And you and your family get access to a social worker and chaplain for emotional and spiritual support.
In some cases, the hospital is an appropriate place for hospice care; however, that tends to be fairly rare.
The third option is a short-term stay at a hospice house. These spaces are peaceful, home-like settings for you and your loved ones. They include private rooms, family spaces and a sanctuary for reflection. A family member may stay overnight with their loved one. Some people prefer this option because it eases their responsibility for at-home caregiving and lets them focus on their loved one’s final days.
