Nursing and home care centers provide a range of services to individuals that are terminally ill. The immense difference in the types of care provided usually lies in the timeframe, personal recovery needs, the degree of illness they have reached, and whether they have the insurance to receive care. These factors contribute to the specific care given to a patient.
Throughout the year, many seniors and severely ill patients at home hire personal caregivers to help them. But there comes a time when doctors recommend “respite care,” or “palliative care,” or “hospice care.” These kinds of care are conventional, yet many people are unaware of it, and those who know use these terms interchangeably. The reality is that these three terms have different meanings. We educate you about them here.
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Respite Care
Respite care is the short-term care given to families and individuals. This is available for both kids and adults with ageing or intellectual disabilities such as developmental delay or other symptom that fit the criteria of primary care. This provides temporary breaks for patients and caregivers that, simply put, helps maintain their relationship in the long-term. This care can be given at home, day-care centers or nursing facilities with the option of an overnight stay.
The main benefit of seeking respite care is that it helps reduce the distress of family caregiving, restores your energy and helps develop balance in your life. Lately, if you’ve pushed yourself over the edge, respite care can help your mind and body. Care4U offers respite care in Birmingham for any senior citizen, child, or disabled individual. In this way, carers look after your patient so that you can relax.
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Palliative Care
Palliative care services are mainly for patients that are seeking relief from the terrible symptoms they are facing. This is ideal for patients who are at the end stage of a particular disease or those who are undergoing a treatment to cure their illness. This is the reason why this care is known is also known as “end-of-life care.” A whole team of doctors, social workers, therapists and other healthcare specialists help patients with common issues such as shortness of breath, nausea, sleeplessness, fatigue, loss of appetite, etc. Some patients pay for this type of care to control their symptoms while others receive this care when they are at the last stage of their illnesses.
This care is also for seniors with kidney disease, heart failure, Parkinson’s, cancer or other life-threatening illnesses. The sick at any point can opt for this care during their illness and prolong it even if their condition improves a bit. Before paying for this care, keep in mind the co-pays, fees and other payments you are going have to make for palliative care with your insurance policy.
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Hospice Care
The word “hospice” stems from the word hospitality, and contains the idea that death is a natural part of life and that those who are close to death should be able to pass their time in a safe and comfortable environment. So, when a caregiver is placed on hospice care, they make sure that the patient receives multi-component support – physical, spiritual, and emotional support they need most during this tense time. This care, in turn, boosts the morale of the patient and their family members.
Like respite and palliative, hospice care is a specific type of care focused on helping reduce or take care of symptoms for terminally-ill patients. Hospice care is provided by hospitals and nursing homes to patients familiar with their diagnosis but who want to live a pain-free live for as long as possible. Hospice care includes 24/7 access to care, support for loved ones after someone’s death and medical equipment. The best part about this care is that it is the only type of home care that consists of all these services.
Above are all the fundamental differences between respite and palliative and hospice care.
