I’ve had the privilege of speaking with many families at a crossroads after a terminal diagnosis – & the same question comes up almost every single time:
“Can we do this at home?”
It’s often asked in a hushed tone, sometimes through tears, and always with a sense of fear & uncertainty mixed with love. Families wonder if they can really provide quality care at home – & whether pain management & symptom control can even be managed outside a hospital – & whether choosing home hospice care means going it alone.
The answer is yes – & more families are opting for hospice care at home than ever before.
Hospice Care At Home lets patients stay in their own comfort zone, surrounded by their loved ones, while receiving top-notch medical care, as well as emotional support & spiritual guidance from a dedicated hospice care team. Staying at home lends an atmosphere of peace & dignity that can be hard to replicate in a hospital or nursing home. For many families, it means more quality time together – fewer logistical headaches – & the chance to focus on being there for their loved one, rather than dealing with hospital protocols.
What is hospice care at home?
Hospice care at home provides compassionate support in the patient’s own home or another familiar environment, such as a nursing home or assisted living facility. The focus is on comfort care, pain management, and enhancing quality of life for patients with a serious illness or terminal diagnosis, rather than attempting curative treatment. This approach allows patients to remain in surroundings that feel safe and familiar, surrounded by loved ones.
Receiving care at home offers both emotional and practical benefits. Patients can stay connected to daily routines and meaningful activities, while families can participate in care, share moments, and maintain dignity in the final days. The home environment also allows family caregivers—often, a family member—to feel supported and guided while providing physical care, meal preparation, and assistance with everyday tasks.
For families in Fort Worth exploring how hospice care at home can be provided in a familiar setting, hospice care services in Fort Worth offer expert guidance, comfort care, pain management, and ongoing support for both patients and family caregivers. With this approach, patients can spend their final days at home, knowing that professional hospice care is available whenever needed.
Why Do People Prefer to Be at Home?
Many families choose hospice care at home because home is where people feel most at ease. For patients with a serious illness or terminal diagnosis, being in a familiar environment surrounded by family members provides comfort that no hospital or assisted living facility can replicate.
According to national reports:
- Nearly 49.1 % of Medicare decedents received hospice care in 2022 (NHPCO Facts & Figures 2024).
- More than half of patients with serious illnesses say they’d rather spend their final days at home (BMC Systematic Review).
Getting hospice care at home allows a whole team of specialists (including doctors, nurses, social support workers, hospice aides, and volunteers) to come in and provide you with practical help, pain control, emotional, and spiritual support – all in the comfort of your own home.
Being at home also gives family caregivers (who are usually a family member) the chance to be right in there with the physical care, cooking meals, and doing everyday things, while the hospice team sorts out all the medical stuff, visits and care when they’re needed.
For heaps of patients, receiving hospice at home is about more than just being comfortable – it lets them stay close to the people they love, keep their dignity, and spend those final days in a place that really is home. The combination of hospice care, managing medication, and giving people emotional support means that both the patient and their families feel really supported through a really tough time.
Who Will Be Helping Us? Understanding the Hospice Team
Home Hospice Care is delivered by a passionate hospice team that works together to offer support not just to the patient but also to their loved ones throughout the end of life. At Lifted, this tight-knit team makes sure patients get the highest quality comfort care, symptom management, and guidance in their very own home, giving family caregivers a sense of confidence and reassurance. By merging medical expertise with warm emotional and spiritual support, the team lets families focus on making the most of the time they have with their loved one, while also ensuring all medical needs are being met safely and with compassion.
The hospice team may include:
- Nurses and case managers oversee medical care and manage symptoms.
- Hospice doctors coordinating with personal physicians.
- Hospice aides assist with daily care, hygiene, and everyday tasks.
- Social workers and chaplains provide emotional and spiritual support.
- Operations staff manage medical equipment, prescriptions, and logistics.
- Volunteers offering companionship or practical help.
Together, this team provides comprehensive support for both patients and family caregivers, ensuring that every aspect of home hospice care is delivered with dignity and attention to the patient’s needs.
What Does Home Hospice Care Include? Hospice Benefits and Services for Patients and Families
At Lifted, home hospice care is a completely personalized plan that’s tailored to the patient’s medical needs, comfort, and quality of life. We believe in focusing on comfort care, pain management, and offering emotional support for both the patient and their family members, so that they can stay in their own home during those last days. Meanwhile, family caregivers get the guidance they need to manage medications, medical equipment and other daily care tasks, helping them to feel more confident and in control while ensuring the patient’s safety and well-being.
Some of the services we offer include:
- A customized care plan designed around the patient’s condition and hospice benefit.
- Medical equipment and prescription delivery directly to the home.
- 24/7 access to clinical support from the hospice team.
- Respite care so caregivers can rest while knowing their loved one is safe.
- Grief counseling for up to 13 months after loss. Families can also learn more about Lifted’s full range of Hospice medical care services, which ensures patients and families receive professional, compassionate support in their own home, helping them navigate end-of-life care with dignity, comfort, and peace of mind.
Will We Be Alone in This? Support from Your Hospice Team
Home hospice care is built on a simple principle – no family should ever have to face a terminal illness on their own. Right from that first conversation, our hospice care team is there to walk alongside you and your family – offering guidance, reassurance and a whole lot of support all the way through to the final days.
Throughout the hospice journey, we support our patients and their families in every way we can – be it emotionally, physically or spiritually. We make sure that patients are comfortable, by providing comfort care, pain management and helping with everyday tasks in the comfort of their own familiar home. That way, they can focus on making the most of the time they have left with their loved ones.
Your family is also taken care of, too – we help you manage pain, provide the medical equipment and supplies you need, and show you how to provide the right kind of physical care to keep your loved one safe and comfortable. That includes guidance on managing medicines, using home health services, or skilled care so you feel confident in your ability to care for your family member.
With professional hospice care at every step, patients and families know that expert support is always available. This includes respite care, emotional and spiritual support, and scheduled regular visits from the hospice team, allowing families to navigate the journey with dignity, comfort, and peace of mind.
How Do We Take the First Step? Starting Your At-Home Hospice Care Journey
Starting at home hospice care is as simple as reaching out and speaking with a team that actually listens and answers your questions. We work with your physician to create a personalized hospice care plan, tailored to your needs and your family’s.
When you start hospice care, you can rest assured that your loved one will receive the comfort care, pain management, and professional guidance they need in the safety of their own home, while you, as a family member, get the support you need to navigate the tricky aspects of end-of-life care.
Once care begins, our hospice team will provide hands-on support with everyday tasks, meal preparation, symptom management, and help you get the medical equipment your loved one needs. We also train and support your family caregivers, often a primary family member, while our social workers and chaplains offer emotional and spiritual support.
For families ready to take the next step, they can contact us to learn how home hospice care can be provided in a familiar setting. Lifted ensures that patients and their families receive hospice services, guidance on Medicare and medicaid services, and ongoing support, allowing them to focus on meaningful moments together during the final days.
Cindy Sumrall serves as the Chief Clinical Officer at Lifted Hospice, bringing more than 30 years of experience in nursing, hospice care, and healthcare leadership. Known for her steady, people-first approach, Cindy leads our clinical teams with a focus on compassion, safety, and excellence. She works side-by-side with our caregivers, guiding and supporting them as they deliver personalized care that honors each patient’s dignity and story.
Her background spans bedside nursing, infusion therapy, and senior leadership roles, equipping her with a deep understanding of both the clinical and human sides of end-of-life care. At Lifted, Cindy is committed to fostering a culture where patients, families, and staff alike feel seen, supported, and valued — ensuring our mission of helping people live life to the fullest is lived out every day.