Everyone’s hospice journey will look different, which is why personalized care is so important. To meet each hospice patient’s unique needs, hospice offers four distinct levels of care. 

Established by The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, there are four levels of hospice care that every hospice agency needs to abide by. These levels are designed to provide the right support at the right time. The four levels of hospice care are: 

• Routine home care
• General inpatient care
• Continuous home care
• Respite care

In this blog, we’ll discuss each level of care to make it easy to understand, so you and your family can make informed decisions about your loved one’s care. 

Routine home care 

Routine home care is generally the most common level of care. Your loved one can receive care wherever they live, whether at home, in an assisted living facility, or a long-term care facility. 

Your family member’s care team will visit frequently to manage symptoms, provide emotional and spiritual support, and ensure they’re as comfortable as possible. 

Providing care in a familiar, home-like setting allows your loved one to feel more comfortable and at ease, surrounded by the people, routines, and belongings that bring them peace.

This level of care honors your loved one’s wishes while supporting your family every step of the way.

General inpatient care 

The next level of hospice is general inpatient care. This level of care is reserved for people who need around-the-clock medical supervision to manage uncontrollable symptoms. Your loved one may receive this type of care in a hospital, skilled nursing facility, or hospice facility. 

Even though they are in a clinical setting, your loved one will still receive compassionate and personalized hospice care to keep them as comfortable as possible. The goal is to keep their symptoms under control until they can receive hospice care at home. 

Continuous home care

Continuous home care focuses on managing uncontrollable symptoms while keeping your loved one home. Their hospice team provides around-the-clock care up to 24 hours a day for a short period of time. 

This level of care offers ongoing support and assistance to caregivers to help manage severe symptoms more effectively. The goal is to provide enough care for your loved one to stay home instead of going to the hospital. 

Even during this heightened level of care, the hospice care team is committed to honoring your loved one’s wishes and maintaining dignity while keeping them as comfortable as possible. 

Respite care

Respite care provides caregivers with extra support when they need relief. This type of care allows your loved one to receive hospice services in a skilled nursing facility. They are allowed to stay there for up to five consecutive days. 

Being a caregiver can feel overwhelming at times. Respite care offers a much-needed break from your daily responsibilities without interrupting the quality or continuity of your loved one’s care. 

At Northern Illinois Hospice we providerespite care through contracted facilities and offer  several additional ways in which our team can support your journey as a caregiver. 

Northern Illinois Hospice is here to provide compassionate end-of-life care for your loved one 

As the first hospice provider in the region, Northern Illinois Hospice has been helping people transition to hospice care for more than 45 years. Our team provides compassionate end-of-life care to individuals with life-limiting illnesses.

We honor patients and their wishes by providing specialized care that treats the person, not the disease. We offer a wide range of palliative and hospice care to improve your loved one’s quality of life in their final months.

Our experienced team of healthcare professionals, social workers, and volunteers is here to ensure your loved one’s comfort and support.

Learn more with the Reading Room

Since hospice care has so much to offer patients, families, and providers, it can be confusing at times. That’s why we created The Reading Room.

The Reading Room is a special place where people can learn and grow in their understanding of hospice and palliative care, any time and anywhere. It’s like having a whole library in the palm of your hand or with a click of your mouse. With dozens of articles and helpful how-to videos in both English and Spanish, The Reading Room can serve as another helpful guide. 

To learn more about our hospice or palliative services or how we can help you navigate end-of-life care for your loved ones, call us today at (815) 398-0500.