Hospice care in the comfort of the patient's own home

Hospice of Southwest Ohio provides care in your loved one's private home, allowing them to continue living in a familiar space. Our goal is to keep patients as relaxed and at ease as possible — and often this means staying in the place they call home.

What is routine hospice care?

Under routine hospice care, patients receive regular visits from members of our care team based on their specific needs. Routine home care includes:

• Help with daily activities
• Emotional support
• Equipment such as walkers and wheelchairs
• Nutritional counseling
• Oversight of medications
• Pain and symptom management
• Personal care
• Spiritual support
• Resource coordination
• Wound care
• Bereavement support

Hospice care often includes a combination of the patient's family caring for them. So, you might help your loved one with activities such as moving around the house, cooking/feeding and administering medication.

With routine care, a member of the hospice team will come by the house several times per week to check in and make sure the patient is comfortable and experiencing relief from pain and other symptoms. 

If the patient is in need of a higher level of care, we offer crisis care, when our team will care for the patient around the clock, while the patient is enduring uncontrolled symptoms until those symptoms are under control.

How do I prepare for in-home hospice care?

The most important thing you can do to make hospice care easier is to prepare your loved one and family by conducting research (you're in the right place!). Studies have shown proper preparation for hospice care reduces the amount of anxiety, depression and grief for the patient and their family.

How do I pay for in-home hospice care?

Wherever you decide to have hospice care, most private insurance companies and Medicare cover the cost — however it will depend on the patient's individual plan. 

The majority of hospice patients incur no out-of-pocket costs for medical equipment, supplies and services related to the terminal illness. If the patient doesn't have adequate coverage, our team will help to figure out what options they have.

Will I need special equipment for in-home hospice care?

This depends on the patient's condition. If they're having trouble getting in and out of a regular bed in the home, a hospital bed could be a safe alternative. Hospital beds make it easier for caregivers to help patients receive the care they'll need.

We provide all durable medical equipment that a physician feels would benefit the patient in their home and that is covered by their insurance. Medicare guidelines cover the cost of the patient renting a hospital bed, walker, wheelchair, portable oxygen, specialized mattresses, and side tables or bed trays.

Deciding where to place a hospital bed in the home can be difficult, as it should be easily accessible and ideally not up or down any stairs. Many families decide to place the bed in a room near the kitchen, where the center of many activities take place. Ultimately, the bed should be in a safe area and near a bathroom, where the patient will feel most comfortable.