Home Based Palliative Care

Abstract

Palliative care aims at improving the quality of life of a patient who is suffering from a chronic serious ailment like that of advanced cancer. Nobody wants to be away from his/her own family, especially when it’s known, he has limited days to live in this world. A patient gets the best treatment when it’s given in his own home and that too by his close ones. When palliative care is provided at the patient’s home, it provides a sense of safety, privacy, confidentiality and peace of mind for the patient. Specialist home-based palliative care improves symptom control, health-related communication and psychosocial support. It helps in better preparing the patient and the family members to accept death. It is provided by a team of trained members which includes doctor, nurse, social worker, volunteers, physiotherapist etc. They pay regular visits at the home of the patient and provide necessary health care to the patient. Considering the increasing cost of treatment of chronic illnesses, it’s sometimes hard on the part of the family to continue treatment in a hospital or hospice. It’s especially true in scenarios where population are not protected financially, in countries like India. The family members also play a vital role in home-based palliative care. They get trained from the team to learn the basics of palliation. Home based palliative care needs to be integrated into regular home health care services.