Palliative Care: Home Care

Patients usually suffering from an incurable terminal disease are home bound and are not able to approach any hospital due to gross weakness. The concept of palliative home care involves giving symptomatic comfort care to these patients at their home in a familiar surrounding. When the patient can not reach the hospital the Palliative Team Doctors and Nurse reach patient’s house to take care of them.

Here the patients are seen on a home visit at intervals depending on the nature and extent of their disease. This includes a general check up by the doctor, dressing of wounds and assessment of general hygiene by the nurse, psychological counseling ( where required ),training and educating the family members in care of the patient, and spiritual counseling (where desired ). The doctor tells about the stage of disease, prognosis (where asked for),disease symptoms and explains the family about the nature of disease and the cause of symptoms. Prescription is given to the patient, after checking of the drug compliance with the help of care taker. Care is given to patient and family members separately. The home visits are absolutely free of cost.