When the doctors tell your family there’s nothing more the hospital can do, it can sound like the end of hope. For many families in West Hartford, New Britain, Farmington, and communities across Central Connecticut, it's the start of a different chapter: one focused on comfort, dignity, and time together at home—not the end of hope.
Hospice care creates comfort, not a cure, and many families choose to receive it at home. Hospice teams handle medical care but visit on a schedule, so families often need extra hands-on help between visits. Our team provides non-medical in-home care, including personal care, companionship, respite, and 24/7 support, so when carrying hospice between nurse visits feels heavy, you have someone to lean on.
Hospice is how your loved one’s care happens, not where it happens. For many families, home is the best choice for hospice care. In a national survey, 71% of Americans said they would prefer to die at home if given the choice.
For a loved one, being at home can mean:
That means much of the daily care often falls to family. The National Institute on Aging suggests that caring for someone at home at the end of life can be physically, emotionally, and financially demanding for family caregivers, and that extra support from professional caregivers can help.
Yes, families can combine hospice with non-medical home care. Let your hospice team know who else is helping in the home so everyone is working from the same plan.
Q: What’s the difference between hospice and palliative care?
Palliative care can begin at any stage of a serious illness and can be provided alongside treatment meant to cure it. Hospice is a type of palliative care, meant for loved ones who are receiving comfort, not a cure, in their final weeks.
Q: Do your caregivers provide medical care or give medications?
No, we provide non-medical care only. Your hospice team handles all medical care and medications. While your hospice team manages the medical side, we keep your loved one comfortable, nourished, and safe.
We’re here with trusted resources and compassionate support to help your family every step of the way. Contact us today to learn more about our companion or personal care services! Visit us at 1105 New Britain Ave, West Hartford, CT 06110, explore our blog and resources, or call us at (860) 206-8581.
Hospice care creates comfort, not a cure, and many families choose to receive it at home. Hospice teams handle medical care but visit on a schedule, so families often need extra hands-on help between visits. Our team provides non-medical in-home care, including personal care, companionship, respite, and 24/7 support, so when carrying hospice between nurse visits feels heavy, you have someone to lean on.
What Is Hospice Care, and Does Choosing It Mean Giving Up?
No. Choosing hospice does not mean giving up. Hospice’s focus is not on a cure, but that doesn’t mean you’re leaving your loved one to suffer alone. Instead of treatments meant to cure the illness, the care team eases symptoms, provides emotional support, and cares for the whole family.Hospice is how your loved one’s care happens, not where it happens. For many families, home is the best choice for hospice care. In a national survey, 71% of Americans said they would prefer to die at home if given the choice.
Why Is Hospice at Home Often the Best Choice?
Many local families choose to receive hospice care at home because it's familiar, private, and keeps their loved one close to the people and routines they love. It's where a favorite chair sits by the window, where the dog curls up at the foot of the bed, and where grandchildren can drop by after school.For a loved one, being at home can mean:
- Keeping familiar routines, foods, and surroundings
- Having visits from family, friends, and pets without hospital rules
- Spending quiet, unhurried time with the people they love
- Feeling more like themselves, and less like a patient
How Can We Help Your Family During Hospice Care?
Most families still need daily, hands-on help between hospice visits, especially for personal care, overnight, and respite for family caregivers. Hospice teams typically include doctors, nurses, social workers, aides, and volunteers. But hospice team members usually visit on a schedule. They are not in your home around-the-clock.That means much of the daily care often falls to family. The National Institute on Aging suggests that caring for someone at home at the end of life can be physically, emotionally, and financially demanding for family caregivers, and that extra support from professional caregivers can help.
How Does Non-Medical In-Home Care Support Families During Hospice?
Non-medical in-home care from our team fills the hours between hospice visits with personal care, companionship, respite, and overnight support. Our caregivers don't replace your hospice team. Your hospice provider will manage medications, complex medical conditions, and other medical needs. What we add is steady, compassionate support, including:- Personal care: Help with bathing, grooming, dressing, and toileting, always with respect for privacy and dignity
- Companion care: Conversation, reading aloud, playing favorite music, or simply being a calm presence in the room
- Respite care: Time for you to rest, work, run errands, or just be a spouse, son, or daughter again
- 24/7 and overnight care: Someone awake and attentive throughout the night, so you can sleep
- Alzheimer's and dementia care: Patient, familiar support for loved ones living with memory loss
How Do You Get Started with In-Home Support During Hospice in Central Connecticut?
Start by talking with your hospice team about their visit schedule, then call our team to fill in the gaps. Here's a simple way to begin:- Check in with your hospice team to figure out what their schedule wil be.
- Identify the gaps. Overnights, weekends, bathing, or simply time for you to rest.
- Call our care team. We'll listen, answer your questions, and build a schedule around your family's needs.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hospice Care
Q: Can we have hospice and in-home caregivers at the same time?Yes, families can combine hospice with non-medical home care. Let your hospice team know who else is helping in the home so everyone is working from the same plan.
Q: What’s the difference between hospice and palliative care?
Palliative care can begin at any stage of a serious illness and can be provided alongside treatment meant to cure it. Hospice is a type of palliative care, meant for loved ones who are receiving comfort, not a cure, in their final weeks.
Q: Do your caregivers provide medical care or give medications?
No, we provide non-medical care only. Your hospice team handles all medical care and medications. While your hospice team manages the medical side, we keep your loved one comfortable, nourished, and safe.
Talk with Our Care Team Today
You don't have to carry hospice care alone. If your family wants more comfort, more rest, and more time together at home, our team is available, day or night.We’re here with trusted resources and compassionate support to help your family every step of the way. Contact us today to learn more about our companion or personal care services! Visit us at 1105 New Britain Ave, West Hartford, CT 06110, explore our blog and resources, or call us at (860) 206-8581.
References
- What Are Palliative Care and Hospice Care? (National Institute on Aging): Defines hospice care and its focus on comfort.
- Four Myths About Palliative and Hospice Care (National Institute on Aging): Confirms hospice can be provided at home.
- Views and Experiences with End-of-Life Medical Care in the U.S. (KFF): Source for 71% of Americans preferring to die at home.
- Different Care Settings at the End of Life (National Institute on Aging): Covers home as a care setting and the demands on family caregivers.
- Where Americans Die: Is There Really "No Place Like Home"? (New England Journal of Medicine via PMC): Covers the personal care tasks family caregivers take on.
- Providing Care and Comfort at the End of Life (National Institute on Aging): Source for the four areas of end-of-life care needs.
- Frequently Asked Questions About Palliative Care (National Institute on Aging): Explains how hospice differs from palliative care.