Introduction

Home care is a long-held tradition that has caught up with modern technologic advances. While in earlier times, a sick person relied on family, friends, and neighbors for care, today’s home care services are very different. Today, a wide range of health and social services can be delivered at home to individuals who are recovering from cancer, undergoing treatment, or those with advanced disease. For many children and adults, home care provides a loving, secure environment where they can receive compassionate care.

Like the name implies, home health care is professional health care provided in your home. Most often it is used by people who are chronically ill, disabled or recovering from an illness or accident. Home health care patients require assistance or treatment, but are well enough to be cared for at home, instead of in a hospital or other institution.

• Types of Home Care Agencies

Home care services are provided by numerous organizations including home health agencies; hospices; homemaker and home care aide agencies...

• What Home Care Services Are Available?

Through a home care agency, you can receive many of the same health care and support services available in a hospital.

• Who Pays For Home Care?

Home care services can be paid for directly by the patient and family or through several public and private sources.

• What Should I Ask About Home Care Agencies?

There are a number of questions you might ask when considering a home care service.

• What Do I Do About Quality Of Care Complaints?

If you've selected your home health agency carefully, you'll probably avoid most problems. If a problem or concern should come up...

• Treatment At Home

Treatment for cancer sometimes can be given at home as well as in the hospital.

• When Death Is Approaching

In caring for a loved one who has advanced cancer you may be present at the time of death. The following is intended to remove some of the mystery that surrounds the end of life by looking at the process of dying.

• Care Giving and Home Care FAQs

Home care is a long-held tradition that has caught up with modern technologic advances.

• The Doctor-Patient Relationship

An important part of good health care is a good relationship between you and your doctor.